12 states sue Donald Trump over tariffs: Here¡¯s why his trade moves could cost American shoppers and spark legal trouble
Twelve Democrat-led US states have sued Donald Trump over his tariff policies that sparked trade chaos. This explainer looks at what the lawsuit says, which states are involved, and how Trump¡¯s economic decisions may impact everyday American life
Twelve US states, mostly led by Democrats, have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration. They claim his sudden and widespread tariffs on countries like China were done without proper authority and hurt the US economy. The suit argues that Trump¡¯s tariff actions were not approved by Congress and go against the US Constitution.
Why states are calling the tariffs illegal
The lawsuit says Trump used a 1977 law meant for emergencies to justify the tariffs. But the states argue that this law does not give him the right to impose such taxes without Congress. According to the court filing, Trump created a trade policy based on his personal decisions, which the states believe caused serious economic harm and broke legal boundaries.
The states say the president cannot just declare an emergency and tax any goods as he pleases. This, they argue, ¡°upended the constitutional order¡± and led to chaos in markets and American households.
Who took legal action
The lawsuit was filed by states including Arizona, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont, and Oregon. Most of these have Democratic attorneys general, although Nevada and Vermont have Republican governors.
Donald Trump | Credit: X
California also filed a similar lawsuit a week earlier. Its Governor, Gavin Newsom, called Trump¡¯s tariff approach ¡°the worst own-goal in the history of this country.¡± Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the tariffs were not only economically damaging but also illegal. Oregon's Dan Rayfield added that rising prices caused by tariffs affect everything¡ªfrom groceries to electricity bills.
Trump's tariff actions and market impact
Trump introduced a new wave of tariffs during his second term, going against decades of free trade policy. He added a massive 145% duty on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with a 125% tariff on US goods. In addition, he put 10% tariffs on other trade partners and threatened more.
Trump said these moves would help bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. But critics say they are doing more harm than good. According to The New York Times, his approval rating dropped to 44% in just three months¡ªsomething Democrats are using to show how his economic choices may be hurting Americans.
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Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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