Overview

• A coalition of 12 states has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade to block President Trump's sweeping tariffs, citing constitutional overreach.
• The states argue that Trump improperly used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a statute never before invoked for tariffs, to impose duties as high as 145% on Chinese imports.
• The lawsuit seeks to halt enforcement of the tariffs, which have disrupted markets, increased consumer costs, and provoked retaliation from trade partners like China.
• Trump has signaled a willingness to lower tariffs on Chinese goods, but Beijing insists on a full rollback of U.S. levies before entering negotiations, denying claims of ongoing trade talks.
• The case intensifies debates over the separation of powers and executive authority in trade policy, with broader implications for U.S. economic and diplomatic relations.