US President Donald Trump Sued For Imposing Sweeping Tariffs

As many as 12 American states, most of them led by Democrats, sued President Donald Trump and his administration over his unprecedented tariffs on all US trading partners, especially China, that sparked global economic turmoil, threatened trade relationships and escalated tensions worldwide. The lawsuit filed by a coalition of a dozen states argued that Trump has no power to "arbitrarily impose tariffs as he has done here" as the president cannot institute the levies without the approval of Congress.

"These edicts reflect a national trade policy that now hinges on the president's whims rather than the sound exercise of his lawful authority," the lawsuit, filed by the states' attorneys general in the US Court of International Trade, said.

States also argue that the 1977 law invoked by Trump does not allow him to use emergency measures to impose tariffs, a power constitutionally reserved for Congress.

"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 lawsuit alleged.

Which States Sued Trump

The states, including Arizona, New York,  Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont and Oregon, are the latest parties to take the Trump administration to court over the tariffs. Separately, California filed a similar suit a week ago, with Governor Gavin Newsom calling Trump's tariff policy "the worst own-goal in the history of this country."

The attorneys general of all states are Democratic, though Nevada and Vermont have Republican governors.

"President Trump's insane tariff scheme is not only economically reckless -- it is illegal," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement. 

"No matter what the White House claims, tariffs are a tax that will be passed on to Arizona consumers," Mayes said.

Dan Rayfield, Oregon's attorney general, said that when a president pushes an "unlawful policy that drives up prices at the grocery store and spikes utility bills, we don't have the luxury of standing by."

"These tariffs hit every corner of our lives - from the checkout line to the doctor's office - and we have a responsibility to push back."

Trump's Traiffs

President Donald Trump has sent markets into tumult in his second term, turning decades of free trade policy on its head with his "Liberation Day" announcements of new tariffs against numerous countries.

Trump has imposed an additional 145 per cent import duties on China, and Beijing responded with its own 125 per cent tariffs on US goods. On Wednesday, Trump told reporters he's working on a "fair deal with China."

Meanwhile, he has imposed 10 per cent tariffs on other trade partners -- and he is threatening more punishing levies.

Trump has said his protectionist policy will return manufacturing jobs to the United States. 

On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Trump's approval rating has fallen steadily during his first three months in office, hitting a low of 44 per cent this week. 

Democrats are seizing the opportunity to illustrate how his policies are hurting pocketbooks.