Legal Battle Against Trump's Tariffs: A Constitutional Clash

The New Civil Liberties Alliance has filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports, alleging he overstepped his legal authority. The lawsuit argues that Trump's actions violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and undermine the constitutional separation of powers by usurping Congressional control over tariffs.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 04-04-2025 04:32 IST | Created: 04-04-2025 04:32 IST
Legal Battle Against Trump's Tariffs: A Constitutional Clash
This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

The conservative legal organization, New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), has initiated a legal battle by filing a lawsuit to block President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. The case, lodged in a Florida federal court, marks the first of its kind against what the group describes as overreach by the U.S. president.

The lawsuit challenges both the sweeping tariffs rolled out on April 2 and the duties sanctioned on February 1, arguing that Trump lacked the necessary legal authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. According to Andrew Morris, senior litigation counsel at NCLA, the tariffs misuse emergency powers, undermine Congress's power over tariffs, and disturb the Constitution's balance of powers.

The alliance is seeking a judicial intervention to halt the implementation and enforcement of these tariffs, along with reversing the changes Trump made to the U.S. tariff schedule.

(With inputs from agencies.)

Give Feedback