A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump’s administration over newly imposed tariffs on 60 trading partners. The suit, lodged on Monday, August 4th, 2026, in the US Court of International Trade, alleges that Trump exceeded his legal authority in implementing these levies.

The tariffs, which are double-digit and target imports allegedly produced with forced labor, were introduced last month under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The administration justified the tariffs by declaring the US’s longstanding trade deficit a national emergency.

These new tariffs came into effect immediately after temporary tariffs, previously used by Trump following a February Supreme Court ruling that struck down his "liberation day" levies, expired.

New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized the administration, stating, “After losing at the Supreme Court, the administration is once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs.”

In contrast, White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the tariffs as a lawful response to unfair trade practices abroad, emphasizing that “a foreign country’s failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor is unreasonable and burdens US commerce, including American workers, and must be addressed.”

The legal dispute highlights ongoing tensions over trade policy and the scope of presidential authority in imposing tariffs.

Sources