Arabic version: خمس وعشرون ولاية تطعن في رسوم ترامب الجمركية

According to BBC News, 25 US states have sued President Donald Trump’s administration over tariffs imposed on dozens of countries, arguing that the measures are unlawful. The duties, which range from 10% to 12.5%, took effect in July and affect trading partners including the UK, China and the European Union.

The US said the tariffs were imposed because trading partners had failed to properly tackle forced labour. Introduced under Section 301 of the 1974 US Trade Act, the duties cover 99.4% of US imports, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

In a legal document seen by the BBC, the coalition of Democratic states called the decision “arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law”. The lawsuit said the administration could not use forced labour as a pretext for what it described as an illegal tariff scheme, arguing that a two-month investigation examined 60 trading partners.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the US was using its lawful authority to address practices burdening American businesses. He said countries failing to deal with imports made with forced labour were acting unreasonably, and said Section 301 tariffs had proved legally durable since Trump’s first term.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the tariffs a tax on working families, while Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said Oregon families and businesses were paying the price. Brazil and Japan described the measures as unjustified, while China’s foreign ministry said they were an excuse for political manipulation.