A coalition of 25 Democratic-led US states sued the Trump administration on Monday over new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% imposed on goods from 60 trading partners, arguing the president exceeded his authority and bypassed required legal procedures.
The lawsuit filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York asks the court to halt the duties, declare them unlawful and order refunds. The states contend the administration rushed its investigation, skipped mandatory country-by-country consultations and used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 as a pretext to reimpose tariffs previously struck down by courts. The affected economies, including the European Union, Canada, Japan and China, account for 99.4% of US imports. The administration has cited inadequate action against forced-labor goods as justification.
The new tariffs took effect in July after earlier levies were ruled unconstitutional and temporary duties expired. The White House has not yet commented.