Trump under pressure: 12 states sue against customs chaos!

US President Donald Trump is increasingly criticized for his controversial tariff policy. The president is causing significant problems in global trade and the economy, particularly through the trade conflict. Before his presidency, Trump was considered a successful businessman, but developments in his tariff policy are now raising questions.

Current measures include tariffs, some of which have been suspended for the time being, with the exception of tariffs on China. Trump emphasizes that negotiations for a “fair deal” with China are taking place, but this is vehemently denied by Beijing. Trump also made negative statements about US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and called for his dismissal. The legal options for such a measure remain unclear.

Collapse in the financial markets

The uncertainties surrounding Trump's economic policy decisions led to a collapse in the stock market, which, however, stabilized after Trump assured that he would not fire Powell. On the other hand, his behavior unsettles institutional investors who are withdrawing capital from the USA. The dollar has hit a three-year low as selling of safe-haven U.S. Treasury bonds increases. The uncertainty is also affecting companies' investment decisions and confidence in the economy is unlikely to return quickly.

Amid this turmoil, twelve US states have filed lawsuits against President Trump's tariff policies. This lawsuit was filed in the Court of International Trade in New York. The plaintiffs, including Oregon, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, Arizona and Nevada, argue that Trump does not have the power to impose taxes and tariffs because that power lies with Congress. The aim of the lawsuit is to overturn the tariffs as unlawful.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called the tariffs economically reckless and illegal. Economic expert Langhammer said that the tariffs are putting a significant strain on the US economy and the financial markets. These legal disputes coincide with the move by California, where a lawsuit regarding the special tariffs was filed the previous week.

Despite the legal challenges, Trump plans to impose new tariffs within the next two to three weeks if there is no progress in trade talks with China. Trump confirmed that the US and China are in daily contact. The trade conflict came to a head at the beginning of April 2025 with the imposition of special tariffs against numerous countries. Special tariffs of up to 145 percent continue to apply to products from China, while China has imposed tariffs of 125 percent on US goods as a countermeasure.