Businesses challenge Trump’s tariffs claiming unconstitutional power grab

In the United States, on April 14, 2025, the Liberty Justice Centre, a legal advocacy group, filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade, aiming to block President Donald Trump's recently imposed tariffs on foreign imports. The lawsuit was initiated on behalf of five small businesses that import goods from countries affected by these tariffs. The plaintiffs argue that President Trump has exceeded his constitutional authority by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs unilaterally, rather than through congressional legislation, which is required to levy taxes, including tariffs. The advocacy group claims that the President's assertion of trade deficits constituting an emergency lacks justification, as these deficits have been prevalent for decades without causing significant economic harm. They maintain that Trump’s tariffs, branded as the