![Section of the Oregon Trail Blue Mountain Crossing Segment — of the pioneer [[:en:Oregon Trail| Oregon Trail ]] in [[:en:Wyoming| Wyoming ]]. Protected within a Bureau of Land Management area in Wyoming . Oregon National Historic Trail — National historic trails can take us back, returning us literally and symbolically to a point of departure in geography and time. Who among us has not wondered what it was like for America's pioneers to lie on the open ground of the western high plains on a starlit night and to hear wolves howl in the distance? To walk in the footsteps of these men and women today is to glimpse their experience and to feel their purpose and courage. National historic trails help us recreate this unique chapter in American history when, starting more than 170 years ago, some 500,000 emigrants made their way overland to the far western edge of the continent. Their determination resulted in 12 new states joining the Republic between 1840 and 1890, all west of the Mississippi River . Congress designates national historic trails “to protect historic landscapes and inform our curiosity about the past.” Visitors to the Oregon National Historic Trail have more than 350 miles to explore on Wyoming public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management . One pristine stretch extends a full 35 miles entirely on BLM lands—farther than most emigrant parties could walk in a single day. Thanks to the foresight and dedication of preservation-minded citizens and volunteers, the Oregon, Mormon Pioneer , California , and Pony Express routes are all managed as national historic trails. BLM-managed sections are part of the National Conservation Lands .](/assets/images/2026-08-04T01-37-14-421Z-twenty-five-states-led-by-oregon-file-lawsuit-challenging-trump-s-section-301-ta-wikimedia-1280.webp)
On Tuesday, August 4th, 2026, twenty-five states, predominantly led by Democratic governments and spearheaded by Oregon, filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade challenging the legality of former President Donald Trump’s new Section 301 tariffs.
The complaint argues that these tariffs, imposed under the pretext of combating forced labor, violate the requirements of Section 301 and are likely to harm the US economy and damage the country’s credibility with trading partners. This lawsuit marks the third legal challenge against the Section 301 tariffs.
Oregon has played a pivotal role in previous tariff litigation, including challenges to Trump’s IEEPA tariffs, which were invalidated by the Supreme Court in February 2026, and the more recent decision striking down Section 122 tariffs. The Oregon lawsuit was consolidated with one involving private small businesses harmed by the tariffs.
The current case raises arguments similar to those in earlier suits filed by the Liberty Justice Center on behalf of small businesses and by several firms including Learning Resources, Inc., a toy manufacturer whose case was part of the IEEPA litigation that led to a Supreme Court decision.
If successful, this lawsuit could block enforcement of the Section 301 tariffs nationwide. It is anticipated that the Court of International Trade may consolidate all three cases and issue a joint ruling.
Oregon Deputy Attorney General Ben Gutman and his legal team have been commended for their significant contributions to these legal efforts.
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