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A coalition of a dozen states filed a lawsuit Wednesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade, targeting former President Donald Trump’s controversial tariff policy, which they claim is illegal and has inflicted serious damage on the U.S. economy.
The lawsuit, led by Democratic attorneys general from 12 states, including Oregon, Arizona, Connecticut, and New York, accuses the Trump administration of abusing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify sweeping and unpredictable tariffs.
“Trump’s lawless and chaotic tariffs are a massive tax on Connecticut families and a disaster for Connecticut businesses and jobs,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in a statement. “This lawsuit is about putting the rule of law above executive overreach.”
The 78-page complaint alleges that Trump has exercised tariff powers arbitrarily, bypassing Congress and violating the Constitution’s clear delegation of trade authority to the legislative branch.
“By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on whatever goods entering the United States he chooses, for whatever reason he finds convenient to declare an emergency, the President has upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy,” the filing states.
The lawsuit seeks to have the tariffs declared illegal and to prevent federal agencies and officials from enforcing them further.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called Trump’s tariff regime “insane,” adding: “It is not only economically reckless — it is illegal.”
Under the IEEPA, the president may act only when there is an “unusual and extraordinary threat” originating from outside the United States. The plaintiffs argue no such emergency exists and that Trump’s invocation of the act to levy tariffs — sometimes changing them overnight — was a clear violation of its intent.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
This case comes just a week after California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed a separate federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, asserting that California — as the nation’s largest importer — could lose billions in revenue under the current tariff structure.
In response to Newsom’s case, White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the policy, stating: “The Trump administration remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”
The states’ legal challenge could set up a constitutional test over the separation of powers and the extent of presidential authority in trade policy — a topic that has grown increasingly controversial as Trump continues to reshape Republican economic orthodoxy ahead of a potential return to the White House.
