Attorney General James Wins Challenge to Trump Administration’s Tariffs

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today won a major victory after the United States Supreme Court ruled that sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) violate the law. The court ruled in favor of Attorney General James and a coalition of 11 other attorneys general who sued the Trump administration in April 2025 for violating the law by imposing massive new tariffs that severely disrupted the economy for workers and businesses.

“These illegal tariffs caused immense economic chaos, raising costs for families and businesses throughout our country,” said Attorney General James. “The Supreme Court has agreed that this administration has no authority to impose massive new taxes on a whim. This is a critical victory for the rule of law and our economy, and I will keep fighting to protect New Yorkers from destructive policies that make life less affordable.”

In April 2025, Attorney General James and the coalition sued the Trump administration for unlawfully imposing tariffs under IEEPA. In May, the United States Court of International Trade ruled in favor of Attorney General James and the coalition, deciding that the Trump administration’s tariffs issued under IEEPA are invalid. In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed that the Trump administration does not have the authority to impose these tariffs by executive order under IEEPA.

The Supreme Court today ruled that the president does not have the authority to use IEEPA to impose sweeping tariffs.

Joining Attorney General James in this challenge to the administration’s tariffs are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.