Twelve states sue Trump administration over unlawful tariffs, citing economic chaos and constitutional overreach.

Twelve US states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the administration of President Donald Trump in the US Court of International Trade, located in New York.

The states are seeking to stop the federal government's tariff policy, arguing that it is unlawful and has created significant disruption within the US economy.

According to the lawsuit, the policy implemented by President Donald Trump has made national trade policy dependent on his personal decisions rather than on a sound and lawful exercise of authority.

The states named as plaintiffs in the legal action include Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont.

The lawsuit contests Trump’s claim that he has the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The plaintiffs are asking the court to rule the tariffs illegal and to prohibit federal agencies and officials from enforcing them.

The legal filing argues that the authority to impose tariffs resides solely with Congress. It further states that the President may only invoke the emergency act in cases where there is an “unusual and extraordinary threat” originating from outside the country.

“By asserting the power to levy massive and unpredictable tariffs on any imported goods he chooses, for any reason he deems fit to label an emergency, the President has undermined the constitutional system and caused turmoil in the American economy,” the complaint states.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called Trump’s tariff approach “insane” in a statement, declaring that the strategy was “not only economically reckless — it is illegal.”

Separately, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, previously filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the US District Court for the Northern District of California over the same tariff policy. Newsom emphasized that California, being the nation’s largest importer, stands to lose billions in revenue if the policy continues.

In response to the California lawsuit, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said the administration “remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s devastating America’s industries and leaving workers behind, using every available tool — from tariffs to negotiations.”