Trade Representative's Office Under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, Cover Nearly

More than two dozen U.S. states filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to strike down President Donald Trump's tariffs on 60 trading partners, including Canada, over forced labour concerns, arguing he exceeded his authority. The tariffs, announced last month by the U.S. Trade Representative's office under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, cover nearly all U.S. imports and range from 10 to 12.5 per cent. The lawsuit, filed by Oregon and 24 other Democrat-led states in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, argues the tariffs are simply meant to replace Trump's previous temporary 10 per cent global tariff that expired just as the new duties were announced.

The timing confirms that the tariff action is pretextual, arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to Section 301's statutorily constrained purpose, the statement of claim says. The challenge follows lawsuits from American small businesses seeking to block the new tariffs. Canada has protested its inclusion, arguing it has significant safeguards to keep forced labour products out of its supply chains and is pursuing additional measures.