25 US states sue Trump over tariffs on imports
What's the story
A coalition of 25 Democratic-led United States states has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's new tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, including India. The lawsuit was filed in the US Court of International Trade in New York and challenges tariffs of 10% to 12.5% that came into effect last month under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Legal challenge
Allegations of misuse of forced labor justification
The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration is misusing forced labor as a justification to impose tariffs that courts have previously deemed unlawful.
The states argue that Section 301 has been used in the past to target specific countries or industries for unfair trade practices, not for broad tariffs on nearly all US imports.
Criticism voiced
Oregon Attorney General's scathing remarks
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield slammed Trump for trying to impose more tariffs, saying, according to Reuters, "Despite losing every step of the way, Trump is trying yet again to inflict more chaos on working families and homegrown Oregon businesses."
The disputed tariffs were announced on July 24 and apply to imports from 60 trading partners.
Tariff adjustments
Tariffs apply to imports from multiple countries
The tariffs announced on July 24 apply to imports from 60 trading partners, including the European Union and India.
However, some countries received lower tariff rates after strengthening enforcement measures.
For instance, India's tariff was reduced from 12.5% to 10%, a senior administration official said.
Last year, Trump argued that the US's long-running trade deficit constituted a national emergency, and invoked emergency powers to impose tariffs on imports from almost every country before those measures were blocked by the courts.
Defense statement
US Trade Representative defends new duties
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the new duties, saying, "The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it's well past time for our trading partners to do the same."
The tariffs are part of Trump's continued efforts to maintain one of his economic agenda's key pillars despite previous legal setbacks.
Legal history
Supreme Court ruling against Trump's global tariffs
Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not give Trump authority to impose global tariffs. This decision struck down one of his major trade initiatives.
In response, Trump imposed temporary worldwide tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which were also later ruled unlawful by the US Court of International Trade.