On Monday, August 3rd, 2026, a coalition of 25 Democratic-led US states filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump. The suit, lodged in the US Court of International Trade in New York, contends that Trump's latest tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners exceed his legal authority to tax imports.

These tariffs, imposed on July 24th, 2026, include rates of 10% and 12.5% targeting countries such as the European Union. The administration justified the tariffs by alleging that these trading partners have not done enough to prevent the export of goods produced with forced labor. The new tariffs took effect immediately after the expiration of a previous 10% global tariff.

The states involved in the lawsuit, including Oregon and New York, are governed by Democrats and have Democratic attorneys general. Oregon’s Attorney General Dan Rayfield criticized the tariffs, stating, “Despite losing every step of the way, Trump is trying yet again to inflict more disruption on working families and home-grown Oregon businesses.”

This legal challenge follows earlier lawsuits by small US businesses that sought to block the tariffs on the day they were enacted. While previous global tariffs imposed by Trump during his second term have been successfully challenged in court, the administration continues to pursue new tariffs despite these setbacks.

Sources

South China Morning Post World, Reuters

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