25 states sue over Trump’s new tariffs, calling them ‘pretext’ to replace his old ones - AP News

Twenty-five states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, sued the Trump administration on Monday over its latest round of tariffs, arguing they are a pretext to replace import taxes the Supreme Court struck down in February.

The new tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, were imposed last month on 59 countries and the European Union under the claim that they failed to crack down on imports made with forced labor, affecting nations supplying 99% of American imports.

Joining New York are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

The Supreme Court had ruled that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not authorize the earlier double-digit tariffs Trump imposed by declaring the U.S. trade deficit a national emergency, forcing the administration to refund importers.

After temporary 10% worldwide tariffs expired at midnight on July 24, Trump turned to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows tariffs against countries engaging in unfair trade practices and which he previously used against China in his first term.

Trump contends high tariffs will revive American manufacturing and reverse decades of U.S. policy favoring freer trade, while the administration maintains it is using lawful authority; the states counter that the measures illegally raise taxes on families and businesses.