U.S. states sue Trump administration over forced‑labor tariffs FAST-MOVING

Trump tariffs forced labor Section 301 state lawsuit U.S. imports

A coalition of 25 Democratic‑led U.S. states filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade, alleging that President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs exceeds his legal authority. The tariffs, imposed on July 24, 2026, levy duties of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners that together account for more than 99% of U.S. imports.

The measures are justified by the administration as a response to forced‑labor practices, but the states argue the tariffs are a pretext to replace the import taxes the Supreme Court struck down earlier in February, when it ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not empower the president to impose tariffs. The lawsuit cites Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 as the statutory basis for the levies and contends that the president lacks authority to use it in this manner. Attorneys general Dan Rayfield (Oregon), Letitia James (New York) and Rob Bonta (California) are among the plaintiffs, warning that the duties will raise prices for American families and businesses.

Entities: Dan Rayfield · Donald Trump · International Emergency Economic Powers Act · Letitia James · Rob Bonta · Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 · Supreme Court of the United States · U.S. Court of International Trade

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Norway was assigned a 12.5% tariff under the new measures. (multiple articles)
[● 4 SOURCES] The lawsuit challenges new tariffs imposed on July 24 on goods from 60 trading partners, with duty rates of 10% or 12.5%. (multiple articles)
[● 5 SOURCES] The tariffs target imports produced with forced labor. (2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909, 262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234)
[● 3 SOURCES] Attorneys General Dan Rayfield (Oregon) and Letitia James (New York) said the tariffs are illegal and will raise costs for American families and businesses. (multiple articles)
[● 4 SOURCES] The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February 2026 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose tariffs. (2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909, 262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234)
[● 4 SOURCES] The tariffs affect more than 99% of U.S. imports. (2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909, 262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234)
[● 6 SOURCES] Twenty-five Democratic-led U.S. states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade. (multiple articles)
[● 5 SOURCES] The tariffs were imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. (2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909, 262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234)
[● 2 SOURCES] Twenty‑five Democratic‑led states filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade alleging the tariffs exceed presidential authority. (262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234, 2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909)
[● 2 SOURCES] The lawsuit claims the tariffs are a pretext to replace the import taxes the Supreme Court struck down earlier in the year. (262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234, 2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909)
[● 3 SOURCES] Attorneys general Dan Rayfield (Oregon), Letitia James (New York) and Rob Bonta (California) are among the plaintiffs. (262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234, 5f2135e5-8772-4f77-9e95-63fdf7db3b1b, 12968276-5e0d-4478-9f43-ed54bf8090a5)
[● 2 SOURCES] The Trump administration imposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners on July 24, 2026. (2f3baf75-4004-4257-b515-9cd3c7768909, 262c12ac-e1b9-461e-b28a-d945642fe234)