On Monday, April 14, a legal advocacy group filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade seeking to block President Donald Trump's broad tariffs on foreign imports, arguing that he exceeded his legal authority. The Liberty Justice Center, a nonpartisan organization, brought the suit on behalf of five small American businesses that import products from countries affected by the tariffs. The plaintiffs include companies such as a New York-based wine and spirits importer and a Virginia firm producing educational kits and musical instruments.

The legal challenge targets the "Liberation Day" tariffs Trump announced on April 2, along with separate tariffs imposed specifically on China. Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, stated, “No single individual should hold the power to impose taxes with such far-reaching global impact. The Constitution assigns the authority to set tax rates — including tariffs — to Congress, not the President.”

In response, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields defended Trump’s actions, saying, “Critics will always oppose him, but President Trump is protecting everyday Americans by challenging trade practices — particularly by China — that harm the U.S. His policy is about creating a fair trade environment to help U.S. businesses and workers in the face of chronic trade deficits.”

A similar lawsuit is underway in a Florida federal court, where a business owner is also contesting tariffs targeting China. Trump's executive order implemented a 10% tariff on goods from all nations, with increased rates for countries deemed to have unfair trade barriers. However, many of these tariffs were temporarily paused for 90 days.

The administration cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as justification, which grants presidents special authority in response to extraordinary threats to national security. However, the Liberty Justice Center argues this law doesn’t permit the use of tariffs. “The IEEPA has never been used to impose tariffs before, and no previous president has claimed such authority,” the lawsuit asserts. The filing requests the court to halt the enforcement of the tariffs and officially declare that Trump lacked the power to enact them. The U.S. Court of International Trade, based in New York, holds federal jurisdiction over a wide range of trade-related issues.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.