Attorney General Ford Sues Trump Administration to Stop Latest Round of Illegal Tariffs

Lawsuit Filed by 22 Attorneys General and 2 Governors to Block Illegal Tariffs that are Increasing Prices on American Consumers and Businesses

Carson City, NV - Today, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block President Trump's latest efforts to impose illegal tariffs on American consumers and businesses. The case challenges President Trump's most recent efforts to increase tariffs worldwide without congressional approval.

"These reckless tariffs are not abstract policy debates; they are price increases felt at kitchen tables and small businesses across Nevada," said Attorney General Ford. "After the Supreme Court rejected his earlier justification, the President is trying a new legal theory to reach the same unlawful result. We are going back to court to defend Nevada consumers, protect our economy, and uphold the separation of powers."

For more than a year, President Trump has inflicted chaos on the American economy by imposing tariffs without the legal authority to do so. Initially, the President claimed that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) allowed him to impose tariffs of any amount, on any product, from any country, for any length of time. Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court rejected that argument, concluding that the IEEPA tariffs were unlawful.

Rather than accepting that loss in court, President Trump immediately turned to a separate law that has never been used before-Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974-and announced 15 percent tariffs on most products worldwide, seemingly to address trade deficits. But Section 122 does not apply. That law authorizes tariffs in limited circumstances, including when there are "large and serious balance-of-payments deficits." Notably, a trade deficit is not a balance-of-payment deficit, meaning that once again the President is acting unlawfully.

A recent analysis by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that nearly 90 percent of the costs of tariffs in 2025 were paid by American consumers and businesses. By imposing another round of price increases on American consumers and businesses, President Trump is doubling down on failed economic policies.

According to a November report by Congressional Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee, Nevada households paid an average of $941 in just the first six months after the tariffs took effect. Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine also calculated that previous tariffs imposed by President Trump have cost Nevada households a total of $2.1 billion since last February. This added burden on Nevada consumers is already straining family budgets, and research indicates households could shoulder an even larger share of these costs moving forward.

Today's lawsuit challenges this latest round of tariffs. The complaint contends that these actions by President Trump and his administration violate the law, upend constitutional separation of powers, and violate the Administrative Procedure Act.

The case is entitled State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al. and was filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade.

The case is led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Arizona Attorney General Kris 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.

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