12 States Unite Against Trump's Tariffs: A Legal Battle Unfolds

Legal Action Against Tariffs

San Francisco: A group of 12 states in the US has initiated legal proceedings against President Donald Trump's administration, contesting the legality of the tariffs imposed. This lawsuit was filed in the US Court of International Trade located in New York.

The attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont have come together to request a judicial order that would prevent the Trump administration from implementing these tariffs.

According to the lawsuit, the current tariff policy has made national trade regulations subject to Trump's unpredictable decisions rather than adhering to lawful authority. The coalition is asking the court to deem these tariffs illegal and to prevent government officials from enforcing them.

The lawsuit emphasizes that the President can only activate the Emergency Act in response to an 'unusual and extraordinary threat' from outside the country.

The legal filing argues that by asserting the power to impose fluctuating tariffs on various goods entering the US at his discretion, the President has disrupted the constitutional framework and caused disorder in the American economy.

It further claims that Congress has not authorized the President to impose these tariffs, thus rendering the administration's actions unlawful as they were enacted through executive orders, social media announcements, and agency directives, as stated by New York Attorney General Letitia James' office.

James warned that these tariffs are illegal and, if not halted, could lead to increased inflation, job losses, and economic harm.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul echoed these concerns, stating that Trump's tariffs have significantly raised consumer costs and created economic turmoil nationwide.

In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai asserted that the administration is dedicated to tackling this national emergency, which is harming American industries and workers, utilizing all available measures, including tariffs and negotiations.

On April 2, Trump signed an executive order at the White House, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency and impose what he termed 'reciprocal tariffs' on all US trading partners.

This decision has sparked considerable backlash both domestically and internationally, resulting in notable instability in financial markets.