SAN FRANCISCO, April 24: A coalition of 12 U.S. states has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration, challenging what they describe as “illegal tariffs” imposed through executive actions. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, seeks a court order to block the enforcement of the tariffs, which the states claim violate constitutional and statutory limits on presidential authority.

The attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont jointly filed the suit on Wednesday. The legal action argues that the national trade policy has become subject to Trump’s “whims rather than the sound exercise of lawful authority,” asking the court to declare the tariffs illegal and prevent government agencies and officers from enforcing them.

The coalition contends that the President can only invoke the Emergency Act under conditions of an “unusual and extraordinary threat” from abroad. The lawsuit criticizes Trump for bypassing Congress and acting unilaterally: “By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on whatever goods entering the U.S. he chooses, for whatever reason he finds convenient to declare an emergency, the President has upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office stated, “Congress has not granted the President the authority to impose these tariffs and therefore the administration violated the law by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders.” James warned that if the tariffs are not stopped, they “will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.”

Echoing these concerns, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country.”

In defense, White House spokesperson Kush Desai responded that the administration “remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”

The legal challenge follows Trump’s executive order on April 2, in which he invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency and implement “reciprocal tariffs” on all U.S. trading partners. The action triggered widespread backlash both domestically and internationally and contributed to turmoil in financial markets.