US states sue to block Trump tariffs impacting dozens of countries

On Monday, a coalition of 25 US states filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration, challenging new tariffs imposed on goods imported from 60 trading partners. The tariffs, which went into effect in July, target countries including the UK, China, and the European Union, due to Washington's allegations of insufficient efforts to combat forced labor. In a statement, the states contended that the administration's decision was "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law."

White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the administration's actions, asserting that the US was exercising its lawful authority to address practices that impede American businesses. He emphasized that any foreign nation's failure to tackle the importation of goods produced with forced labor was "unreasonable" and required addressing. The tariffs, enacted under Section 301 of the 1974 US Trade Act, target approximately 99.4% of US imports.

The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration cannot justify its tariff scheme by citing forced labor, as it defies the USTR's stated aims and undermines the statute used to justify the taxes. New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the tariffs, stating that they serve as a "tax on hardworking families," while Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield added that the broader tariffs impact local businesses unfairly.

Several targeted trading partners expressed disappointment over the new tariffs, with Brazil and Japan labeling the measures as "unjustified." China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the tariffs as an "excuse for political manipulation."

The move underscores the ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, which have been in a protracted tit-for-tat tariff war that is currently on hold. Analysts have questioned the ability of countries to substantiate their claims of addressing forced labor adequately. This development adds to a series of trade policies initiated by Trump since taking office in January 2025, many of which were overturned by the Supreme Court in April 2025, resulting in billions of dollars in refunds to affected companies.

President Trump has consistently maintained that tariffs protect American workers and stimulate the US economy. The previous tariffs, struck down by the Supreme Court, were replaced by a temporary 10% levy on all global imports, which expired in July. However, the administration may explore imposing additional tariffs as it investigates 16 countries for manufacturing overcapacity.