Zollkonflikt: Demokratische Bundesstaaten klagen gegen Trumps neue Zölle

Dozens of democratically governed US states are suing President Donald Trump's recent tariffs on 60 international trade partners. The 25 states accuse the US government of arbitrarily implementing broad tariffs under the guise of combating forced labor in global trade, according to the lawsuit. If the New York-based Court of International Trade (CIT) were to collect the import duties, it would be another setback for Trump's aggressive trade policy, which is a key pillar of his second term since January 2025.

The West Coast state of Oregon's Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, tweeted on the platform X that the new tariffs were driving up costs for working families in the state and across America, with everyday items like clothing and electronics becoming more expensive. The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration were based on claims of insufficient action against forced labor, targeting imports from 60 trade partners, including products from the European Union.

Since July 24, the tariffs have been in effect, but they do not cover all goods. Exemptions include products already subject to other tariffs, such as steel and aluminum. The new tariffs were timed to replace the abolished global tariffs for which Trump had no legal basis, as the Supreme Court had ruled them unlawful in February, citing that Trump exceeded his powers by basing them on a national emergency law.

Consequently, the US government now needs to pay billions in tariffs again, and the administration has been looking for alternative ways to impose import fees.