A coalition of 12 U.S. states has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, seeking to halt the federal government's tariff policy, DW reported. The states argue that the policy is unlawful and has caused turmoil in the economy.

The lawsuit contends that President Trump's approach has subjected national trade policy to his "whims" rather than lawful authority. The states involved in the lawsuit include Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont.

The legal action challenges Trump’s claim that he can impose tariffs arbitrarily under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare these tariffs illegal and to prevent government agencies from enforcing them. They argue that only Congress has the constitutional power to impose tariffs, and the president may only invoke the emergency act in the face of an "unusual and extraordinary threat" from abroad.

"By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on any goods entering the United States for reasons he deems convenient to declare an emergency, the President has disrupted the constitutional order and created chaos in the American economy," the lawsuit stated.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes described Trump's tariff policy as "insane," emphasizing that it is not only economically reckless but also illegal. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who previously sued the Trump administration in a separate case over tariff policy, expressed concerns that California, as the largest importer in the United States, could suffer billions in revenue losses.

In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai stated that the administration is "committed to addressing this national emergency that is harming America's industries and workers, using all available tools, including tariffs and negotiations."

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