Trump’s tariff policy—his way of clawing back what he claimed the US was “ripped off” of—has left many Americans clenching their teeth instead of beaming with smiles.

Now, a group of US states is pushing back, not just with words, but with a lawsuit.

A group of 12 US states have filed a lawsuit challenging Donald Trump’s authority to impose the tariffs without the approval of the US Congress.

In the suit filed at the US Court of International Trade in New York, the states said that the policy put in place by the US President has been subject to his “whims rather than the sound exercise of lawful authority.”

It challenged Trump’s claim that he could arbitrarily impose tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The suit asks the court to declare the tariffs to be illegal, and to block government agencies and its officers from enforcing them.

The lawsuit maintained that only Congress has the power to impose tariffs and that the president can only invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when an emergency presents an “unusual and extraordinary threat” from abroad.

The lawsuit said, “By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on whatever goods entering the United States he chooses, for whatever reason he finds convenient to declare an emergency, the President has upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy.”

The states listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit were Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Vermont.

Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes said in a statement, “President Trump’s insane tariff scheme is not only economically reckless – it is illegal.”

“Arizona cannot afford President Trump’s massive tax increase. No matter what the White House claims, tariffs are a tax that will be passed on to Arizona consumers.”
Kris Mayes

Also, Connecticut Attorney General, William Tong, stated, “Trump’s lawless and chaotic tariffs are a massive tax on Connecticut families and a disaster for Connecticut businesses and jobs.”

Last week, California Governor, Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, sued the Trump administration in US district court in the northern district of California over the tariff policy, saying his state could lose billions of dollars in revenue as the largest importer in the country.

The White House spokesperson, Kush Desai responded to Newsom’s lawsuit, saying the Trump administration “remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”

Trump To Lower Tariffs Based On Deals

Meanwhile, US President, Donald Trump reiterated his intention to lower his crippling tariffs on China, but insisted that the timeline for any relief will depend on Beijing.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said that he could announce new tariff rates on US trading partners, including China, over the next few weeks, depending on the outcome of his administration’s negotiations with other countries.

When asked how soon he could lower the 145 percent tariff he has imposed on most Chinese goods, Trump remarked, “That depends on them.”

“We have a situation where we have a very, very great place. It’s called the United States of America, and it’s been ripped off for years and years.

“In the end, what I think is going to happen is we’re going to have great deals, and by the way, if we don’t have a deal with a company or a country, we’re going to set the tariff.”
Donald Trump

Trump said that he got on “very well” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and he hoped to see the sides reach a deal. “Otherwise, we will set a price,” Trump said.

On Tuesday, Trump publicly acknowledged that his 145 percent tariff on China was “very high” and said the rate would “come down substantially” at some point.

The US-China trade war has raised fears of a global economic slowdown, with the International Monetary Fund earlier this week slashing its 2025 growth forecast from 3.3 percent to 2.8 percent.