Trump administration sued by 25 states over new tariffs on trading partners

What the report says

A coalition of 25 Democratic-led US states has sued the Trump administration over a new round of tariffs on trading partners, arguing that the president exceeded his legal authority. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the lawsuit was filed Monday in the US Court of International Trade and challenges double-digit tariffs imposed last month on 60 trading partners.

The states, including Oregon and New York, say the levies are being justified as a response to forced-labour concerns, but are actually an attempt to restore tariffs that the US Supreme Court previously ruled unlawful under a different legal basis. New York Attorney General Letitia James said the administration was again trying to raise costs for households and businesses after losing at the high court. The suit follows earlier legal challenges brought by small businesses.

The White House defended the tariffs, saying they respond to unfair trade practices abroad and to the import of goods linked to forced labour. Trump has argued that higher tariffs can help revive US manufacturing and has used tariff policy more aggressively than recent administrations.

The case adds to a wider legal and policy battle over the president’s trade strategy and its impact on imports, businesses and consumers. The article notes that the July tariffs affect more than 99 percent of US imports, making the challenge potentially significant for trade flows and federal tariff policy.