Filed Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
On November 4, 2025, a group of small business (including a board game store, a champagne company, and a mannequin company) filed a class action suit against President Trump and other federal officials in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia. The plaintiff businesses alleged that President Trump's tariffs on imports from China, the European Union, and other countries would cause them severe economic harm because all three plaintiff business regularly import goods from overseas.
Plaintiffs alleged that the Tariff Executive Orders were unlawful because they were not supported by explicit congressional authorization as required under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Further, plaintiffs alleged that the tariffs were not "necessary" to address President Trump's stated emergency rationales - the opioid epidemic and the trade deficit - and thus were unauthorized under IEEPA. Plaintiffs additionally alleged that IEEPA itself should be struck down as an unconstitutional violation of the nondelegation doctrine. Finally, plaintiffs alleged that the agency actions taken to implement the Tariff Executive Orders were an arbitrary and capricious violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). 2025 WL 3082992
Plaintiffs sought to certify two classes: a class of business or individuals who had to pay IEEPA tariffs because of the China Tariffs, and another class of business who had to pay IEEPA tariffs because of the European Union Tariffs.
This case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Nick Martire (11/11/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71871017/parties/smirk-dagger-games-v-trump/
Contreras, Rudolph (District of Columbia)
Rollins, Kara McKenna (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71871017/smirk-dagger-games-v-trump/
Last updated April 20, 2026, 3:31 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 4, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiffs are a group of small business who were economically harmed by President Trump's tariffs.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Closely-held (for profit) corporation
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Pending
Defendants
Federal
President Donald J. Trump
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 50 U.S.C. §§1701–1707
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:25-cv-03857
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Case Summary of Smirk & Dagger Games v. Trump, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47107/ (last updated 11/11/2025).