DOVER, Del — Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings has joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging newly imposed tariffs she calls illegal, inflationary, and harmful to working families.
The lawsuit comes in response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, who is invoking powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to impose a 10 percent baseline tariff on all countries, with higher tariffs for those with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits.
“There are no winners in a trade war,” said Jennings. “These illegal and inflationary tariffs, including tariffs against our closest allies, are a tax that will destroy jobs, break supply chains, and dry up investments. Worst of all, they will hurt the consumers who can least afford it: working class and middle class Delawareans who are already struggling to balance their budgets.”
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer backed the legal challenge, calling the tariffs a “gross abuse of power” and expressing full support for Jennings’ efforts.
“Tariffs are taxes, plain and simple,” Meyer said. “And these particular taxes were levied illegally and without a coherent strategy. Lawsuits are a necessary check on executive overreach.”
Tariff Breakdown and Economic Impact
The executive order introduces the following trade changes:
10 percent tariff on all imports globally
145 percent tariff on most Chinese goods
25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico
10 percent tariff on most other international imports
Tariffs exempt key goods including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, steel/aluminum, energy, and certain minerals
The lawsuit specifically challenges the administration's unilateral tariff hikes and the legal basis for invoking the Act to impose broad economic penalties, particularly outside a traditional military or cybersecurity emergency context.
Delaware’s Trade and Jobs at Risk
According to the International Trade Administration, in 2024 Delaware:
Imported over $10 billion in goods
Exported nearly $5 billion in goods
Relied on small and medium-sized enterprises for 90% of exports
Supported 36,000 jobs through foreign-owned firms
Supported 17,000 jobs through exports
National Context
President Trump defended the order by declaring a national emergency, citing “nonreciprocal trade arrangements,” currency manipulation, and large trade deficits as threats to U.S. economic and national security. The tariffs, his administration said, are designed to restore manufacturing competitiveness and reduce foreign dependence on critical supply chains.
The executive order grants the president authority to adjust tariffs depending on trading partners’ responses—either increasing penalties in cases of retaliation or easing them if trade relationships are rebalanced.