Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes Helps Defeat Trump and His Reckless Economically Threatening Tariffs in Court

A victory for the law and economic sanity this evening as a three judge panel on the U.S. Court of International Trade dealt a potential death blow to Donald Trump, the man who bankrupted a casino and nearly destroyed the country with his mismanagement of the COVID Pandemic, and his ill advised designs to impose large tax hikes and economic devastation on the American People with his imposition of reckless global tariffs on other nations (including one inhabited solely by Penguins) around the world, including Canada, Mexico, and China.

The ruling in favor of a lawsuit brought on in part by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and other Democratic State Attorney Generals, spelled out that Donald Trump lacked the authority, through his assertion of emergency powers through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) when there was no emergency or actual authority written in the law, to unilaterally impose tariffs.

Trump and his MAGA Know Nothing apostates have already said they will appeal the courts decision.

Reacting to the decision, Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a statement that read:

“I spearheaded this lawsuit because President Trump’s tariffs – a tax on Arizona families and businesses – were poised to devastate our state’s economy. I will continue to fight for affordability for Arizonans and against President Trump’s illegal abuses of power.”

Later, appearing on former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s show on MSNBC, Mayes added:

“…Fundamentally the power to to Levy tariffs rest with Congress right and, as you know, nowhere in IEEPA, does it even mention the word tariffs. Now, the court in its decision, didn’t say that the President, whoever the President is, never can levy tariffs under IEEPA, but what the court is saying is the President does not have unbounded authority to levy those tariffs…” 

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joins Jen Psaki to discuss the International Court of Trade's ruling blocking several of Trump's tariff-related executive orders.

— The Briefing with Jen Psaki (@briefingwithpsaki.bsky.social) 2025-05-29T01:37:11.011732Z

Earlier, she and her team posted:

Big news! The US Court of International Trade just struck down Trump’s illegal tariff scheme as invalid under IEEPA. The president does not have the authority to implement tariffs unilaterally. Glad to have co-led this case with Oregon to protect Arizona families and small biz.

— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@azagmayes.bsky.social) 2025-05-28T23:10:12.672Z

This is a fitting end to a day where, in another lawsuit against the Musk/Trump/Vance Central Committee, Mayes and other Democratic Attorney Generals received a court ruling giving them the green light to investigate the constitutionality of DOGE and Elon Musk’s influence over it and the actions they have taken.

I’m proud to have brought this case on behalf of Arizonans, their personal privacy and our constitutional system. We will keep fighting Elon Musk and DOGE to ensure the Trump Administration follows the law.www.npr.org/2025/05/28/n…

— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@azagmayes.bsky.social) 2025-05-28T22:02:58.022Z

Commenting on the ruling, Representative Greg Stanton posted:

“I’ve been leading efforts in Congress to rein in Trump’s abuse of emergency powers—and today, we won. A federal court ruled Trump overstepped his authority by using emergency powers to impose sweeping global tariffs. A major victory for Arizona families, businesses, and the rule of law.”

On Trump’s reckless application of tariffs and how it could harm Arizona’s economy, Governor Katie Hobbs posted:

“Tariff chaos and confusion is damaging our economy, raising costs on businesses and Arizona families. We need to bring an end to this senseless trade war.”