Lawsuits over Trump's tariffs surge as states and businesses take action
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump is facing a wave of lawsuits against him due to the tariffs he imposed. Both government officials and private companies have filed complaints in court, reports The New York Times.
Last week, attorneys general from Oregon, New York, and Colorado filed motions in court demanding that the tariffs introduced by Trump be blocked. The prosecutors argue that the tariffs "upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy."
In April, California filed a lawsuit, claiming that Trump's policies harmed its economy and budget. California believes the president exceeded his authority by imposing tariffs without Congressional approval.
On April 24, the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is associated with American businessman and conservative political donor Charles Koch, also sued Trump. On behalf of a clothing manufacturing company, a tabletop game designer, and other small businesses, the foundation accused Trump of imposing an "unlawful and unconstitutional" 145% tariff on Chinese goods. The tariffs led to increased prices for American companies.
A non-profit organization, Liberty Justice Center, also filed a lawsuit on behalf of small businesses. The organization is linked to businessman Richard Uihlein, an Illinois industrialist and a Republican megadonor.
The American businesses that filed lawsuits are urging other companies to join the "fight."
Trump's trade war
On April 2, US President Donald Trump introduced unprecedented tariffs for countries around the world. He announced the implementation of a minimum tariff rate of 10% on imported goods.
This tariff was also introduced for goods from Ukraine, while the European Union faced a 20% tariff rate. Meanwhile, the tariff for China was initially set at 34%, but later the total import tariff on Chinese goods rose to 145%.
On April 10, the US put additional tariffs for several countries on pause. Trump announced a 90-day delay in negotiating trade deals with other countries.
