Chicago – April 16, 2025
A legal advocacy group on Monday asked the U.S. Court of International Trade to block President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, arguing the president overstepped his authority.
The lawsuit was filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs. The businesses range from a New York wine and spirits importer to a Virginia-based maker of educational kits and musical instruments.
The lawsuit challenges Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” tariffs, as well as duties he separately levied against China.
“No one person should have the power to impose taxes that have such vast global economic consequences,” Liberty Justice Center senior counsel Jeffrey Schwab said in a statement. “The Constitution gives the power to set tax rates — including tariffs — to Congress, not the President.”
White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended Trump’s tariffs in a statement.
“Never Trumpers will always oppose him, but President Trump is standing up for Main Street by putting an end to our trading partners — especially China — exploiting the U.S. His plan levels the playing field for businesses and workers to address our country’s national emergency of chronic trade deficits,” Fields said.
The Trump administration faces a similar lawsuit in Florida federal court, where a small business owner has asked a judge to block tariffs imposed on China.
