Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced a significant legal victory as the U.S. Court of International Trade invalidated tariffs imposed by former President Trump’s executive orders under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The ruling was delivered in the case State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al.
“I am extremely pleased with the court’s decision to strike down these tariffs; they were both unlawful and economically destructive,” stated AG Ford. “The president had no legal authority to impose these tariffs, and his unlawful actions would have caused billions of dollars of damage to the American economy. This decision is a win for the rule of law and for Nevadans’ pocketbooks.”
In May, AG Ford, along with a coalition of other attorneys general, petitioned the U.S. Court of International Trade to halt federal agencies from collecting what they deemed illegal tariffs imposed by President Trump on various global products. These included a 145% tariff on most products from China, a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, and 10% tariffs on imports from other countries.
The court’s decision not only stops existing IEEPA tariffs but also prevents any increase in tariffs by President Trump, such as the proposed 145% on Chinese imports and 50% on European Union imports.
Article I of the Constitution grants Congress exclusive authority to levy taxes, duties, imposts, and excises. Although Trump’s executive orders cited powers granted by IEEPA—intended for emergencies posing “unusual and extraordinary threats” from abroad—the act does not authorize presidential imposition of tariffs. Enacted in 1977, IEEPA had never been used for imposing tariffs until this year.
AG Ford collaborated with co-lead attorneys general from Oregon and Arizona and those from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont in this case.
