Attorney General Ellison sues Trump again to stop illegal tariffs
Lawsuit challenges unlawful tariffs that are increasing prices on Americans
Almost 90% of tariffs in 2025 were paid by American consumers and businesses
In Minnesota, tariffs increased average household costs by roughly $1,100
August 3, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Today, Attorney General Ellison sued the Trump administration, once again challenging Trump’s efforts to impose illegal tariffs on American consumers and businesses. The case, which was filed by Attorney General Ellison as part of a coalition of 25 states, challenges the Administration’s recent decision to increase tariffs on more than 80 countries that together account for 99.4% of all U.S. imports—costs that will be passed along to Americans already struggling to pay the price of essential consumer goods.
“The next time you’re wondering why prices keep going up, know that this president’s tariffs are a big reason for those higher prices,” said Attorney General Ellison. “My mission is to help Minnesotans afford their lives and to defend our state from federal overreach, which is why I’m taking Trump to court yet again over his illegal tariffs. I won my last lawsuit against Trump’s illegal tariffs, and I will continue to fight this fight until the president decides to follow the law and stop raising costs on Minnesota families."
For more than a year, President Trump has inflicted chaos on the American economy by imposing tariffs without the legal authority to do so. Initially, the President claimed that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) allowed him to impose tariffs of any amount, on any product, from any country, for any length of time. In February, the Supreme Court rejected that claim, agreeing with several state attorneys general that the IEEPA tariffs were unlawful. President Trump then turned to a separate law that had never been used before—Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974—and announced 10 percent tariffs on most products worldwide. But state attorneys general challenged those tariffs, too, and in May the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the President acted unlawfully.
Rather than accepting those losses, President Trump turned to another law—Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974—and directed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to investigate the European Union and 59 other countries, to determine whether those countries are doing enough to combat forced labor in global trade. Late last month, the USTR did what Trump wanted all along, imposing 10% and 12.5% tariff rates on nearly every economy that trades with the U.S. In other words, instead of taking actions that would combat forced labor, the USTR reached a foregone conclusion and imposed across-the-board tariffs similar to those that courts have struck down twice before.
Today’s lawsuit challenges this latest round of tariffs. The complaint contends that these actions exceed the administration’s legal authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The case was filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade and is entitled State of Oregon, et al., v. Trump, et al.
A recent analysis by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that nearly 90 percent of the costs of tariffs in 2025 were paid by American consumers and businesses. By imposing another round of price increases on American consumers and businesses, the Trump Administration is tripling down on failed economic policies.
Tariffs are causing economic harm across Minnesota. A report produced by the University of Illinois' Project for Middle Class Renewal found that, in 2025, tariffs increased costs for the average household in Minnesota by as much as $1,100. In Minnesota, from March 2025 to February 2026, companies have paid roughly $3.68 billion in import fees.
The lawsuit is led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Also joining in addition to Attorney General Ellison are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
