Maryland Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman has joined a coalition of 15 state fiscal officers in sending a formal letter to President Donald Trump urging his Administration to comply with the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision “clarifying limits on executive authority to impose tariffs and to refrain from implementing any across-the-board tariff without explicit congressional authorization.”

In a February 26 statement, Comptroller Lierman said the coalition represents state treasurers, comptrollers, auditors, and controllers responsible for safeguarding billions of dollars in public assets and maintaining long-term fiscal stability. The group cautioned that proposals for a 15 percent global tariff would amount to a “sweeping restructuring” of the American tax base, a power they noted constitutionally rests with Congress.

“The Supreme Court was clear: the power to levy taxes and duties rests with Congress,” Comptroller Lierman said. “As state financial officers, we depend on stable, lawful federal policy to build responsible budgets and protect taxpayers.”

The letter follows a recent Supreme Court decision emphasizing that executive authorities intended for limited emergency situations should not be used for “broad economic restructuring absent legislative direction.”

The coalition argues that sustainable economic growth depends on predictability and adherence to constitutional boundaries. Sudden or unlawful tariff measures, they wrote, can create volatility in financial markets, disrupt supply chains, and increase costs for manufacturers and consumers, ultimately contributing to slower economic growth.

In their letter, the state financial officers called on the Administration to refrain from implementing any across-the-board tariff without explicit congressional authorization. They also urged the establishment of a clear and timely mechanism to reimburse American taxpayers, businesses, and affected industries for tariffs imposed without proper constitutional grounding, including restitution for demonstrable financial losses borne by states.

The coalition further emphasized that public trust, both domestically and internationally, depends on strict adherence to constitutional processes governing taxation and trade.

“When the allocation of taxing authority appears unsettled, confidence in American governance and markets is weakened,” the letter states. “Economic resilience requires constitutional clarity.”

According to the statement, the signatories represent states across the country and reflect what the coalition described as a unified commitment to fiscal responsibility, economic stability, and the rule of law.

The signatories include:

• Brooke E. Lierman, Maryland Comptroller
• Deborah B. Goldberg, Massachusetts State Treasurer and Receiver-General
• Julie Blaha, Minnesota State Auditor
• David L. Young, Colorado State Treasurer
• Zach Conine, Nevada State Treasurer
• Michael W. Frerichs, Illinois State Treasurer
• Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
• Mike Pieciak, Vermont State Treasurer
• Elizabeth Steiner, Oregon State Treasurer
• Michael J. Pellicciotti, Washington State Treasurer
• Erick Russell, Connecticut Treasurer
• Malia Cohen, California State Controller
• Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller
• James Diossa, Rhode Island State Treasurer
• Laura M. Montoya, New Mexico State Treasurer

Washington State Treasurer Pellicciotti signed the letter solely in his official capacity as state treasurer.

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