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25 Democratic-led states sue Trump over 10% and 12.5% tariffs on 60 partners

25 Democratic-led states sue Trump over 10% and 12.5% tariffs on 60 partners

States argue a forced-labor Section 301 case is being used to preserve broad import duties after February's IEEPA setback, while separate importer suits test the same tariff program.

Fact Check
Three independent authoritative news sources (CNBC, The Hill, and an AP report via AOL) corroborate every element of the claim: 25 Democratic-led states filed suit on Aug 3, 2026; the tariffs are 10%-12.5% on 60 partners (59 countries plus the EU); the states allege USTR Jamieson Greer sidestepped Section 301 procedures and used forced-labor concerns as a pretext; and the action follows courts blocking earlier IEEPA and Section 122 tariff rounds. The Hill links directly to the lawsuit filing PDF in the U.S. Court of International Trade, and AP names all joining states.
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Summary

A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states filed suit on the 3rd in the U.S. Court of International Trade seeking to block Trump's new Section 301 tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 economies. The states say the so-called forced-labor case is a pretext for sweeping import taxes after the Supreme Court ruled in February that the administration could not use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose reciprocal and fentanyl-related tariffs. The complaint argues the administration skipped consultations, applied similar rates to economies with very different policy profiles and is stretching presidential tariff authority beyond what Section 301 allows. The case follows a 150-day 10% global tariff under Section 122 and separate importer suits from Burlap and Barrel and Collective Horology, which say country-specific findings were required. The White House says the tariffs are a lawful response to foreign practices that allow goods made with forced labor into U.S. commerce.

Terms & Concepts
  • Section 301: A provision of U.S. trade law that allows the government to impose tariffs in response to foreign practices it deems unfair or harmful to U.S. commerce.
  • Court of International Trade: A U.S. federal court that handles disputes involving customs, trade laws and import duties.
  • Section 122: A Trade Act provision that allows temporary import restrictions or tariffs to address balance-of-payments pressures.