Attorney General Mayes Wins Lawsuit Against Trump Administration's Illegal Tariffs

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today secured an order invalidating President Trump’s latest efforts to impose illegal tariffs on products purchased by American consumers and businesses. A federal court granted summary judgment to a coalition of 24 states, striking down those tariffs.

“President Trump cannot invent powers the law does not give him,” said Attorney General Mayes. “These illegal tariffs were driving up costs for Arizona families and businesses while creating chaos and uncertainty throughout the economy. Today’s ruling makes clear that the President is not above the law, and my office will continue fighting to protect Arizonans from unlawful actions that threaten their pocketbooks and our economy.”

 For more than a year, President Trump has unlawfully attempted to impose tariffs on essential goods purchased by American consumers and businesses. Initially, the President invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act—but the Supreme Court ruled those tariffs were unlawful. The President then attempted to use a different law that has never been used before—Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974—and imposed 10 percent tariffs on most products worldwide, supposedly in response to trade deficits.

Today, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that those tariffs are illegal, too. Section 122 allows tariffs only when there are “large and serious balance-of-payment deficits.” But no such thing exists—a trade deficit is not a balance-of-payment deficit. As the court ruled, the President’s tariffs proclamation “is invalid, and the tariffs imposed on Plaintiffs are unauthorized by law.”

The case is led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Attorney General Mayes, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Also joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.