04.08.2026 07:40
25 US states have filed a lawsuit against the new customs tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration on products imported from 60 trading partners. The states argue that the tariffs were implemented through an overreach of legal authority and are unlawful, demanding that the decision be overturned, its implementation be halted, and the collected customs duties be refunded.
The new customs tariffs announced by the administration of US President Donald Trump on products imported from 60 trading partners have been taken to the judiciary. 25 states, acting under the leadership of the attorneys general of California, Arizona, and Oregon, filed a lawsuit with the US Court of International Trade requesting the annulment of these tariffs.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, who are leading the lawsuit, argued that the tariffs announced by the Trump administration last month are unlawful.
CLAIM OF "EXCEEDING LEGAL AUTHORITY"
In the lawsuit petition submitted to the court, it was alleged that the Trump administration exceeded its legal authority in imposing the customs tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
The attorneys general argued that the tariffs are not based on a genuine justification, do not aim to target forced labor practices, and were prepared to re-impose tariffs previously found unlawful by courts.
The lawsuit petition requested the court to declare the tariff decision unlawful, halt its implementation, and refund the customs duties collected under the tariffs.
25 STATES FILED A LAWSUIT
The states of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin joined the lawsuit filed against the Trump administration. Additionally, the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania supported the formed coalition.
ATTORNEYS GENERAL'S HARSH RESPONSE TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in his written statement, said, "President Trump is so determined to increase the cost of living for Americans that he is willing to repeatedly break the law to do so."
Bonta noted that this is the third attempt by the Trump administration to implement tariffs illegally, stating that they are filing a lawsuit for the third time against the administration's abuse of power.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes argued that the tariffs increase grocery prices, raise costs for small businesses, and cause chaos in many sectors of the economy.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield stated that the cost of the customs tariffs, which he described as "illegal," is paid not by foreign countries but by US citizens.
NEW TARIFFS WERE IMPOSED ON 60 TRADING PARTNERS
The US Trade Representative (USTR), in its statement on July 23, announced that as a result of investigations conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, customs tariffs of 10 percent and 12.5 percent would be applied to 60 trading partners on the grounds that they were inadequate in banning the import of goods produced through forced labor and effectively enforcing this ban.
This decision was announced one day before the expiration of the 150-day temporary global tariffs of 10 percent, which were implemented under Section 122, following the US Supreme Court's ruling that the tariffs applied based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful.