Attorney General Tong Scores Court Victory Over Trump’s Illegal Tariffs

Attorney General William Tong of Connecticut has led a coalition of 24 states in a decisive legal victory against the Trump administration’s ongoing tariff abuse. The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled yesterday that the tariffs imposed by President Trump under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 are illegal, striking down the administration’s latest attempt to impose tariffs that have fueled economic chaos and price hikes nationwide.

For over a year, Trump has been pushing tariffs that experts and courts have repeatedly found unlawful. Initially, he tried to justify tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, but the Supreme Court struck those down in a 6-3 decision. Undeterred, Trump turned to a rarely used statute—Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974—claiming it allowed tariffs in response to trade deficits. The court rejected this rationale, clarifying that trade deficits do not equate to the “large and serious balance-of-payment deficits” required by law for tariffs under that section.

The ruling declared Trump’s tariff proclamation “invalid” and the tariffs “unauthorized by law,” marking a second major legal defeat for the administration’s tariff-driven economic warfare. Attorney General Tong emphasized the relentless nature of this fight, stating, “We just beat Donald Trump for the second time in the Court of International Trade to stop his illegal tariffs from inflicting needless chaos and costs on American families.”

This lawsuit, led by Oregon AG Dan Rayfield and joined by attorneys general from key states including Arizona, California, New York, and Connecticut, represents a broad coalition standing against the Trump administration’s disregard for legal limits and economic stability. They argue these tariffs have caused unnecessary price increases and disrupted supply chains, harming American consumers and businesses alike.

Trump’s tariffs have long been criticized for their economic damage, retaliatory trade wars, and benefits to corporate cronies rather than everyday Americans. This court decision underscores the administration’s pattern of ignoring the law to impose costly policies that lack justification and transparency.

The fight is far from over, but this ruling is a clear win for legal accountability and economic sanity. As Attorney General Tong vows, “We’re going to keep fighting and winning for as long as it takes to stop these lawless economic wars.”

This legal victory is a crucial check on Trump’s tariff overreach, protecting consumers and businesses from illegal economic harm and reinforcing the rule of law against authoritarian impulses disguised as trade policy.