States sue to block Trump tariffs

WASHINGTON — Reports from Reuters, AP News, CNBC, PBS NewsHour, and the New York attorney general say a coalition of 24 states has sued to block President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs after the Supreme Court rejected his prior tariff program. The following points are confirmed by at least four independent sources.

• Twenty-four states led by attorneys general in Oregon, Arizona, California and New York filed the lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade to halt the new tariffs.
• The suit challenges a fresh round of global tariffs announced after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s earlier import duties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
• The new tariffs were imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary duties of up to 15% for about 150 days; the administration set the rate at 10% and signaled a move to 15%.
• States argue Section 122 is meant for balance-of-payments emergencies, not routine trade deficits, and say the president lacks authority to impose sweeping tariffs without Congress.
• The White House says the administration will defend the tariffs in court and that the president has authority to address balance-of-payments deficits.

Additional Details Reported

The New York attorney general’s office said the coalition includes 21 other attorneys general plus the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania and is seeking a court order declaring the tariffs unlawful and reimbursing states for tariff costs; it also noted exemptions for some countries and products in the proclamation (NY Attorney General).

Reuters reported the tariffs were imposed for 150 days and that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC the rates could rise to the 15% limit within days, while the court is already handling thousands of refund cases tied to the prior IEEPA tariffs (Reuters).

Oregon’s DOJ said researchers at the New York Fed estimated consumers and businesses bore nearly 90% of 2025 tariff costs and warned that Oregon’s import-heavy economy faces higher prices and supply pressure (Oregon DOJ).

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