A United States Court of International Trade ruling has invalidated tariffs imposed by teh Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This decision favors a coalition of attorneys general from multiple states who challenged the legality of these tariffs.

The Legal challenge

In April, a coalition of attorneys general initiated legal action against the Trump administration, contesting the imposition of worldwide tariffs under IEEPA. The lawsuit argued that the president lacked the authority too unilaterally impose such tariffs, which thay claimed caused meaningful economic harm.

Key Arguments and the Court’s Decision

The legal challenge centered on the argument that the president overstepped his authority under IEEPA by imposing sweeping tariffs through executive orders, social media announcements, and agency directives.The court sided with the attorneys general, determining that IEEPA does not authorize the tariffs implemented by the Trump administration, including those targeting China, Mexico, Canada, and the European Union. The court has ordered a permanent block on these tariffs.

Attorney General’s Statement

Following the court’s decision, Attorney General Letitia James released a statement emphasizing the importance of the ruling:

The law is clear: no president has the power to single-handedly raise taxes whenever they like. These tariffs are a massive tax hike on working families and American businesses that would have led to more inflation, economic damage to businesses of all sizes, and job losses across the country if allowed to continue. This decision is a major victory for our efforts to uphold the law and protect New Yorkers from illegal policies that threaten American jobs and economy.

State Coalition

The coalition of attorneys general involved in the lawsuit includes representatives from:

• Arizona
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Maine
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Oregon
• Vermont