US Chamber of Commerce may sue Trump administration over tariffs
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The US Chamber of Commerce is considering a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block the entry of new import tariffs.
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The US Chamber of Commerce building is pictured in this undated photo. (US Chamber of Commerce)
The US Chamber of Commerce, the country's most powerful corporate lobby, is considering filing a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump to block the entry of new import tariffs into force, Fortune magazine reported, citing sources familiar with the discussions of the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is set to go into effect on Wednesday.
The Chamber of Commerce may claim that Trump's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs was illegal. Some of the organization's largest members are calling for the lawsuit, according to Fortune, whose sources also say that other organizations might join the lawsuit.
On April 2, Trump signed an executive order introducing "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from other countries, calling it a "liberation.", and promising budget revenue from tariffs of $6-$7 trillion.
Donald Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to justify the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on imports from various countries. This act grants the President authority to regulate international commerce during national emergencies. Critics argue that using IEEPA for such broad tariffs is unprecedented and may overstep executive powers. ​
Past lawsuits
The US Chamber of Commerce has previously filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration related to immigration, trade, and administrative authority.
In July of 2020, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Retail Federation, and others, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the suspension of temporary work visas.
In June 2019, it considered legal action over tariffs on imports from Mexico that were later suspended as a result of an agreement reached by the US and Mexico.
Last week, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed a suit on behalf of a business owner who imports Chinese goods. They argued that Trump did not have legal authority to impose his February tariffs on China. Trump had done so by invoking a 50-year-old Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), arguing that China had not done enough to help stem the US fentanyl crisis.
