Maryland Attorney General Joins Multistate Lawsuit to Block New Tariffs

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 24 other state attorneys general and governors in filing a lawsuit to halt the latest round of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. The legal action challenges the president’s authority to implement these new tariffs, arguing they are unlawful and will further increase costs for American consumers and businesses. The lawsuit contends that the administration is exceeding its legal powers and disrupting established trade laws.

The coalition’s legal filing, lodged with the U.S. Court of International Trade, asserts that President Trump’s recent tariff decisions violate federal law, infringe upon the constitutional separation of powers, and contravene the Administrative Procedure Act. This action follows previous judicial rebuffs of the administration’s tariff strategies. The current lawsuit specifically targets tariffs announced under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which the plaintiffs argue is being misapplied. The administration had previously relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, a basis that was recently rejected by the Supreme Court.

The core of the legal challenge rests on the interpretation of Section 122, which the plaintiffs claim is intended for situations involving “large and serious balance-of-payments deficits.” The lawsuit contends that the current administration is misinterpreting this provision by applying it to address trade deficits, asserting that a trade deficit is not synonymous with a balance-of-payment deficit. This legal distinction, the attorneys argue, demonstrates that the president is again acting outside his legal authority.

The economic implications of such tariffs are a central concern for the coalition. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that in 2025, nearly 90 percent of the costs associated with tariffs were borne by American consumers and businesses. The attorneys general and governors involved in the lawsuit argue that imposing another wave of price increases will exacerbate existing economic pressures on households and companies nationwide. Maryland, in particular, faces direct impacts, as the state government itself purchases imported goods through various agencies and programs, making it a consumer subject to these increased costs. This situation mirrors the financial strain experienced by individual Maryland families and businesses.

The lawsuit, titled State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al., sees Maryland Attorney General Brown collaborating with his counterparts from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Additionally, the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania have joined the effort. The coalition aims to secure a court order to block these latest tariffs, seeking to prevent further economic disruption and protect consumers and businesses from what they describe as unlawful price hikes.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General.

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