25 US states sue Trump administration to block tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners
Twenty five US states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners. The case was lodged on Monday, according to the supporting material, and challenges duties that took effect in July. The states argue the measures are unlawful and have asked the court to block them.
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The tariffs cover countries including the United Kingdom, China and the European Union, and were imposed over Washington's claim that those partners had failed to properly tackle forced labour. In the legal filing seen by the BBC, the coalition of Democratic states described the decision as "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law." The White House said the US was acting within its lawful authority to address practices that burden American businesses. The Office of the US Trade Representative said the duties cover 99.4% of US imports, underlining the scale of the policy.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the tariffs amount to "a tax on hardworking families." Several affected governments have also criticised the move, with Brazil and Japan calling the measures unjustified and China describing them as an excuse for political manipulation. The dispute comes as Washington and Beijing remain locked in a tariff confrontation that is currently on hold. The lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to a broader trade agenda that has expanded since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025.
The president has repeatedly argued that tariffs protect American workers and strengthen the US economy. But the policy has also drawn criticism from states, companies and foreign governments that say it raises costs and creates uncertainty across supply chains. The case also follows earlier litigation over Trump's so-called Liberation Day tariffs, which were struck down by the US Supreme Court.
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That ruling led to tens of billions of dollars in refunds for companies that had paid the levies. The administration later replaced those duties with a temporary 10% levy on all global imports, which expired in July. The current tariffs are now being challenged on similar legal grounds, with opponents arguing that the government cannot bypass the law to impose sweeping trade restrictions.
What remains unclear is how the court will assess the administration's justification that the tariffs are tied to forced labour concerns, and whether countries can show they have taken sufficient action to avoid the duties. The case may also affect the wider trade policy agenda, including investigations into 16 countries over manufacturing overcapacity. For now, the lawsuit adds another major legal test for the administration's tariff strategy and for businesses exposed to the new duties.
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