Governor Bob Ferguson confronts Donald Trump’s ‘chaotic and illegal’ tariffs in brief
May 21, 2025, 3:13 PM | Updated: 3:19 pm
Governor Bob Ferguson talks about President Trump's Tariffs on May 21, 2025. (Courtesy of TVW)
(Courtesy of TVW)
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has filed a brief supporting a multistate lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff policies. He argues the policies are unconstitutional, and claims that they specifically damage Washington’s trade-reliant economy.
“Our coalition is ensuring the voices of Washington’s workers and businesses are heard,” the Democratic governor said. “Our economy faces significant harm because of the president’s chaotic and illegal approach to tariffs. We must all stand up for hardworking businesses, workers and consumers.”
The brief is in support of a coalition of 12 states that filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade last month, challenging four Trump-era executive orders that imposed steep tariffs on goods from nearly every major U.S. trading partner. The lawsuit cites the 145% rate on Chinese goods and the 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico.
Ferguson leads states against Trump’s tariffs
According to Ferguson, Washington stands to lose billions under the tariffs.
The press release stated Canada, China, and Mexico account for nearly half of Washington’s imports. The governor’s office added that, in 2024, the state exported more than $24 billion in goods to those countries alone.
Economic experts, including the Federal Reserve and the International Monetary Fund, warn that the new tariffs will likely worsen inflation. The governor’s office stated previous studies found that American consumers ultimately paid 95% of the costs from Trump’s earlier tariffs.
Projections estimate the new tariffs could cost Washington businesses between $18 and $21 billion, a drastic increase from the $2 billion paid in tariffs statewide last year.
The mayors of Seattle and Spokane, local labor unions, and economic organizations back the Governor’s filing. Twelve attorneys general — including those from Oregon, Colorado, New York, and Illinois — have joined the legal challenge.
