New York and 11 other states have filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, arguing that he overstepped his authority and put the U.S. economy at risk by imposing them without congressional approval. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, challenges Trump’s use of emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs on imports from countries worldwide. The states argue that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes and tariffs, and that IEEPA was never intended to authorize trade policy on this scale.
President Trump has imposed multiple tariffs on countries such as Canada, Mexico, China, and others since February 2025, citing national emergencies as the basis for the tariffs, including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and unfair trade practices. However, the states in the lawsuit claim that the president’s justifications are vague and legally insufficient. The IEEPA, enacted in 1977, allows presidents to respond to specific international threats, but the lawsuit argues that no president has used it to impose tariffs in the 48 years since its passage. The lawsuit claims that the new tariffs were imposed without congressional approval and without the necessary legal findings to justify sweeping trade actions.
The legal challenge further argues that the tariffs are unconstitutional because they usurp congressional authority over taxes and trade. The lawsuit also claims that the administration’s shifting policy, often modified by executive orders or social media, has created chaos in trade and financial markets. Supporters of the Trump administration argue that the tariffs are a bold move to protect American industries and correct trade imbalances. However, the lawsuit paints a different picture of legal overreach and a lack of transparency, warning that allowing President Trump’s actions to stand could set a precedent for future presidents to impose taxes under the label of emergency authority, bypassing Congress entirely.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, vocal critics of the Trump administration, are leading the legal challenge against the tariffs. They argue that President Trump’s tariffs have adversely impacted consumers and economic stability, and urge the court to block further enforcement of the tariffs and declare the orders invalid under both the Constitution and federal law. The coalition of states, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont, are partnering on the litigation to fight back against what they see as an unlawful and damaging federal tax hike. The lawsuit marks another high-profile confrontation between the Trump administration and its critics in various states across the country.
