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Tue, 04 Aug 2026

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 US states sue to block Trump tariffs impacting dozens of countries

The duties were imposed over claims that 60 US trading partners have failed to tackle forced labour.

* 25 US states have sued the Trump administration over new tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners, including the UK and China.
* The tariffs, which range from 10% to 12.5%, were imposed under Section 301 of the 1974 US Trade Act, citing forced labor practices in the targeted countries.
* The states argue that the decision was "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law," and that the Trump administration is using forced labor as a pretext to impose tariffs.
* The lawsuit says the tariffs are so broad that they defy the USTR's own stated aims and make a mockery of the statute used to justify them.
* Several trading partners have expressed disappointment over the new tariffs, with Brazil and Japan calling them "unjustified."
* China's foreign ministry spokesperson described the tariffs as an "excuse for political manipulation."
* The lawsuit marks the latest move in a slew of trade policies unveiled by Trump since his return to office in January.
* The US Supreme Court previously struck down many of the wide-ranging duties imposed by Trump, and prompted tens of billions of dollars in refunds to companies that had paid the levies.
* The president has long argued that tariffs protect American workers and boost the US economy.