The Attorney General of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Vermont filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking a court order to stop the Trump administration from enacting tariffs.
The lawsuit said the policy left the national trade policy to Trump’s “a whim rather than a sound exercise of legal authority,” asking the court to declare tariffs illegal and prevent government agencies and officers from enforcing them.
The US President noted that emergency actions can only be called out if there is a “an extraordinary threat” from overseas.
“By asserting his authority to impose enormous and ever-changing tariffs on his chosen goods that have entered the US, the president has overturned the constitutional order and caused chaos in the American economy on reasons he finds useful in declaring a state of emergency,” the legal action said.
“Congress does not grant the President the authority to impose these tariffs, and by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders, the administration violated the law,” New York Attorney General Letia James’ office said in a statement.
“His customs duties are illegal and if not stopped, it would lead to more inflation, unemployment and economic damage,” James said.
“President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed consumer costs and unleashed economic turmoil across the country,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Wednesday.
In response, White House spokesman Kush Desai said the administration is “still committed to tackling this national emergency that will deciming American industry and allow all tools at their disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”
On April 2, Trump signed an executive order at the White House, calling the International Emergency Rights Act to declare a national emergency, imposing so-called “mutual tariffs” on all US trading partners.
The move sparked strong opposition from the international community and within the US, causing major disruption in financial markets.