By LINDSAY WHITEHURST and PAUL WISEMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some two dozen states challenged President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs on Thursday, filing a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court.

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The Democratic attorneys general leading the suit argue that Trump is overstepping his power with planned 15% tariffs on much of the world.

Trump has said the tariffs are essential to reduce America’s longstanding trade deficits. He imposed duties under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs he imposed last year under an emergency powers law.

Section 122, which has never been invoked, allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15%, though they’re limited to five months unless extended by Congress.

The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from Oregon, Arizona, California and New York.

The states argue that Section 122 was intended to be used only in specific, limited circumstances and does not give Trump authority to impose sweeping import taxes. It also contends the tariffs will drive up costs for states, businesses and consumers.

Many of those states also successfully sued over Trump’s tariffs imposed under a different law: the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Four days after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping IEEPA tariffs Feb. 20, Trump invoked Section 122 to slap 10% tariffs on foreign goods. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant told CNBC on Wednesday that the administration would raise the levies to the 15% limit this week.

The Democratic states and other critics say the president can’t use Section 122 as a replacement for the defunct tariffs to combat the trade deficit.

The Section 122 provision is aimed at what it calls “fundamental international payments problems.’’ At issue is whether that wording covers trade deficits, the gap between what the U.S. sells other countries and what it buys from them.

Section 122 arose from the financial crises that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s when the U.S. dollar was tied to gold. Other countries were dumping dollars in exchange for gold at a set rate, risking a collapse of the U.S. currency and chaos in financial markets. But the dollar is no longer linked to gold, so critics say Section 122 is obsolete.

Awkwardly for Trump, his own Justice Department argued in a court filing last year that the president needed to invoke the emergency powers act because Section 122 did “not have any obvious application’’ in fighting trade deficits, which it called “conceptually distinct’’ from balance-of-payment issues.

Still, some legal analysts say the Trump administration has a stronger case this time.

“The legal reality is that courts will likely provide President Trump substantially more deference regarding Section 122 than they did to his previous tariffs under IEEPA,’’ Peter Harrell, visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Institute of International Economic Law, wrote in a commentary Wednesday.

The specialized Court of International Trade in New York, which will hear the states’ lawsuit, wrote last year in its own decision striking down the emergency-powers tariffs that Trump didn’t need them because Section 122 was available to combat trade deficits.

Companies that paid tariffs under that act scored a court victory Wednesday when a judge ruled that refunds are due.

Trump does have other legal authorities he can use to impose tariffs, and some have already survived court tests. Duties that Trump imposed on Chinese imports during his first term under Section 301 of the same 1974 trade act are still in place.

Also joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Before he forged his way into St. Thomas’ Division I record book as the program’s career scoring leader, before he picked up a nomination for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, and before he was selected as the CCHA Student-Athlete of the Year, Lucas Wahlin could only bide his time while searching for a place to play major college hockey.

After graduating from Hill-Murray, the Woodbury native spent two seasons in a lower level of junior hockey before joining the Lincoln Stars of the USHL for the 2021-22 season. Wahlin averaged better than a point a game in Lincoln, and the major college suitors begin to emerge.

Lucas Wahlin, shown playing in a series against CCHA rival Bemidji State at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in January 2026, leads St. Thomas with 19 goals heading into the conference tournament this weekend. (Abby Bondi/St. Thomas Athletics)

Among them was St. Thomas coach Rico Blasi, who was early in the process of building a Division I program in St. Paul. Wahlin’s numbers spoke for themselves. But there was also his work ethic, intensity, a team-first mentality and a determination to succeed.

“He didn’t know it at the time,” Blasi said, “but we were recruiting a team around him.”

Blasi and Co. would share that plan with their No. 1 recruiting target soon enough.

“They told me they wanted me to be the culture builder,” Wahlin said. “They wanted me to be that standard. I thought that was super cool, super special.”

Blasi was relieved when it became clear the he wouldn’t have to go to Plan B.

“We went after him hard,” Blasi said. “We didn’t have much to offer, but we tried to sell the vision.”

Four years later, neither side is disappointed. With Blasi and Wahlin doing their parts to lead the way, the Tommies have improved to the point where thy can earn their first trip to the NCAA Tournament if they win the CCHA postseason tournament, which begins on Friday with a series against Lake Superior State at Lee & Penny Anderson.

Asked about his relationship with his coach, Wahlin, 24, said the best way he could explain it is that he considers him a father figure. When that sentiment was relayed to Blasi, his heart swelled, but it was not a revelation. Many words have been spoken between the two, but some things don’t need to be said for the message to be delivered.

Wahlin, Blasi said, is the Tommies player who most reminds him of himself.

Breaking new ground

Blasi called Wahlin in for a meeting over the summer after his freshman season and got right to the point. He wanted Wahlin to wear a letter on his jersey in the the upcoming season, designating him as one of the team’s leaders.

“I was shocked,” Wahlin said. “I said that I would love to wear an ‘A,’ and that that would be unbelievable. He said, “No, I want you to wear the ‘C.’ ”

The move bucked college hockey tradition. Blasi was head coach at Miami University, his alma mater, from 1999 to 2019. How many three-year captains did he have during that span?

None.

“We knew what we had,” Blasi said. “How hard he would work and how receptive he would be. He comes from a good family, and the whole family bought in. … You go through some tough lessons early being captain, but there was no doubt in my mind.”

A pair of upperclassmen, Mack Byers and Luke Manning, were widely looked upon in the locker room as likely candidates before Wahlin was given the “C.” Both were named alternate captains.

“I wouldn’t say we butted heads, but they challenged me — and it was a good challenge,” Wahlin said. “It helped me grow a lot. I look back at those guys and I’m extremely grateful for what they taught me and what they brought on to me.”

St. Thomas junior forward Lucas Wahlin. (Courtesy of the University of St. Thomas)

Blasi wasn’t worried about a little friction, nor was he surprised.

“That’s part of growing as a leader,” he said. “When I took over at Miami, I was 27 and I had two assistants that were a lot older than me. So, I felt like I knew how he felt in that situation. It also made him a better captain.”

Tommies senior center Luc Laylin credits Wahlin for being two types of captains: the one the coaches need him to be, and the one the players need him to be. Said Tommies junior defenseman Chase Cheslock: “He’s the driver of our bus most days. His ability to speak up at the right time is really impressive for his age. His leadership is second to none from what I have seen from a peer.”

Dewey Wahlin, Lucas’ dad, was a right winger at St. Paul Johnson High School who reached the state tournament as a senior in 1984. He was drafted later that year in the ninth round by the North Stars. Dewey played two seasons at the University of Maine before transferring to U.S. International but did not play professionally.

When Lucas committed to the sport, his father was determined to make sure he understood what that commitment entailed.

“It was horrible at the time, but now I’m so grateful,” Wahlin said. “Looking back, I almost wish he was tougher on me. He was a good player, and I wanted to be as good as he was some day. He pushed me to be that one extra, that leader, to be the hardest working guy on the ice every shift, every game, every practice.”

Once Blasi got to know Dewey, it was easy for him to see where Lucas’ approach came from.

“Dewey’s a no-nonsense guy,” Blasi said. “He’s very much like my dad when I was growing up, in that, if Lucas went to his dad and said, ‘What’d you think?’ I’m pretty sure Dewey would say, ‘I think you can play better.’ ”

Paying it forward

Last June, Wahlin was invited to appear on the panel at the Wild’s annual leadership summit, which is aimed at providing insight to young athletes. He was joined by Blasi, among others, as well as Bill Lechner, his coach at Hill-Murray.

“You could see just how mature he is from his answers, how he sees the game now four years after he stepped foot on campus,” Blasi said. “As a coach, as a father, as a mentor, all you want is for your guys to mature and grow and have experiences they can take away for the rest of their lives.”

Wahlin said he was honored to be asked to share his message.

“It was along the lines that everyone can be a leader, even if you’re not wearing a letter,” he said. “You might not be the strongest or the fastest, but you can control how hard you work. And your teammates will follow you.

“And just being that support valve. You never really know what is going through people’s lives. So, it is really important to check up on your brothers. They can build a trust in you, and you can trust them back.”

Wahlin already had proven to be generous with his time for young players, having volunteered to work with youth teams in Woodbury. It’s one of the reasons he selected as the CCHA Student-Athlete of the Year. Academic excellence also is a factor and Wahlin, a business major, has a grade-point average of 3.85 and has made the Dean’s List every semester.

He will graduate with a minor in sports management, with a coaching career likely to follow when his playing days come to an end. Blasi has urged Wahlin focus on the pro career he can attain before thinking about getting behind the bench. Blasi already has placed Wahlin among those destined to be successful in whatever they choose to do.

“Just proud of him and love him,” Blasi said, “and excited for his future.”

One Blasi plans to be a part of.

“I’ve got the date for his wedding in my calendar,” he said.

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By PETER SMITH

On its own, the phrase “Christ is king” sums up a core tenet of the Christian faith, that Jesus is the divine ruler of the universe. Catholics and many Protestants celebrate a Christ the King Sunday each year.

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But the ancient proclamation can morph into something political, controversial or even sinister, depending on who says it and how it’s said.

In recent years, “Christ is king” and similar phrases have been chanted at political rallies, posted on social media and proclaimed in speeches by voices on the right.

At times the phrase is used to support the notion of America as a Christian nation or as one that owes its allegiance specifically to the Christian God. Some current Cabinet officials and recent members of Congress have used the phrase in speeches and on social media.

But other times, political activists have paired “Christ is king” with anti-Zionist statements or negative Jewish stereotypes.

The phrase has gained popularity among far-right figures and their followers. Conservative influencer Candace Owens, who shares antisemitic conspiracies, sells branded “Christ is King” coffee mugs and T-shirts.

The controversy connects to a larger schism on the right, with some conservatives pushing back against an increasingly vocal faction whose denunciations of Israel, critics say, often combine with blatant antisemitism. Some of the latter group insist they’re not antisemitic, just anti-Zionist. That itself is a sharp break from what was once a near-consensus of pro-Israel sentiment among Republicans.

But there are times when the use of the phrase “Christ is king” is unquestionably hostile toward Jews, said a 2025 report by the Rutgers University-affiliated Network Contagion Research Institute.

Analyzing social media postings between 2021 and 2024, the institute reported a dramatic increase of the phrase “Christ is king,” often used as a hate meme targeting Jews. The report lamented this deviation from its historical use as a hopeful, sacred affirmation with biblical roots.

“The weaponization or hijacking of ‘Christ is King’ represents a disturbing inversion of its original intent. Rather than sacralizing shared values, extremists have exploited this religious expression to justify hatred,” the report said.

FILE – President Donald Trump speaks at a hearing of the Religious Liberty Commission at the Museum of the Bible, Sept. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Controversy spotlighted at religious liberty hearing

A recent meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission, a group President Donald Trump created and appointed, put the phrase and related controversies in the spotlight.

At a Feb. 9 hearing focused on antisemitism, a witness, Seth Dillon, spoke of often hearing people use the phrase “Christ is king” followed immediately by a highly contemptuous slur toward Jews.

“This should offend every Christian,” said Dillon, the CEO of the conservative satirical site The Babylon Bee.

Commission member Carrie Prejean Boller repeatedly grilled witnesses about whether opposing Zionism could be construed as anti-Jewish. She said that as a Catholic she opposes Zionism but that this is not antisemitic. She asked Dillon if he thought “saying ‘Christ is king’ is antisemitic.”

Dillon said no and that, as a Christian, he regularly declares that “Christ is my king” — but context matters.

He testified that the phrase has been co-opted by Groypers, alluding to the followers of far-right influencer Nick Fuentes, who has spread antisemitic views.

It’s “using the Lord’s name in an abusive manner,” Dillon said.

Fuentes’ supporters chanted “Christ is king” at the Million MAGA March, a November 2020 rally denying the Republican Trump’s defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in that year’s presidential election.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican who chairs the Religious Liberty Commission, announced Prejean Boller’s removal from the panel after the meeting. He asserted that she tried to “hijack” the hearing for her own agenda.

Following the commission meeting, Prejean Boller has posted prolifically on X, denouncing “Zionist supremacists” and repeatedly using the phrase “Christ is King.” She also has denounced the war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran.

A recent Catholic convert, she said she opposes a popular evangelical view that modern-day Israel exists in fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

A religious phrase ‘co-opted by extremist figures’

The commission hearing was hardly the first forum to air controversy over “Christ is king.”

The Network Contagion Research Institute’s 2025 report noted that while many “Christ is king” references on social media are strictly religious, the phrase has been “systematically co-opted by extremist figures.”

The report said Fuentes and other extremists use the phrase as a “white supremacist mantra publicizing their antisemitic beliefs.”

Fuentes has said the Holocaust was exaggerated, and he has denounced “organized Jewry in America.” He has claimed to be in battle with “satanic, globalist elites,” an antisemitic trope.

The religious phrase “Christ is king” is not inherently political, said Brian Kaylor, president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way, a progressive site covering faith and politics.

But that fact provides a “deniability” to those politicizing it, he said.

“We’re at a dangerous point with the phrase ‘Christ is king’ because of the heavy activity and use of it on the far right in very fascist, antisemitic ways,” said Kaylor, a Baptist minister and author of several books on religion and politics. “We’re at the danger of that phrase losing its meaning to where this new antisemitic use is the dominant definition.”

The phrase has also gained popularity in political settings with some on the Catholic and evangelical right who are strongly pro-Israel and have repeatedly denounced antisemitism, such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Kaylor said the phrase is often used as “a declaration of Christian nationalism ” asserting that “the nation should be brought under the dictates of Christ.”

A dispute over politics and religion

The controversy has highlighted both religious and political fissures.

The Vatican has diplomatic relations with Israel and has also recognized a state of Palestine. Pope Leo XIV has called for a two-state solution while denouncing antisemitism. During the Israel-Hamas war, popes Francis and Leo denounced the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and Israel’s massive military response, with Leo demanding a halt to Israel’s “collective punishment” of Gaza’s population.

Other Catholics on the Religious Liberty Commission noted that Jesus and his followers were Jews and that a seminal 1965 Vatican document rejects antisemitism and the blaming of all Jews, including those alive today, for Jesus’ crucifixion.

Patrick, the commission chairman, said the dispute with Prejean Boller reflects “a real problem with a very small group in our Republican Party.” Antisemitism needs to be repudiated or “this is going to destroy our party,” he said on “The Mark Levin Show,” a podcast.

But Prejean Boller has galvanized supporters from a staunchly conservative group called Catholics for Catholics, a lay-led, self-described “militant organization dedicated to the evangelization of this great country.”

It plans to honor Prejean Boller at a March 19 event with a Catholic Champion Award in Washington featuring speakers such as Owens.

Prejean Boller has reposted announcements of the event on X, including one post that shared a Spanish-language statement that translates to “We will not rest until we convert the USA into a Catholic nation.” The post concluded in English with “Christ is King!”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

ICHIKAWA, Japan (AP) — Punch the baby orphan macaque is outgrowing the orangutan plushie that comforted him through early rejection from his mother and other monkeys.

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Images of Punch dragging around the toy bigger than him drew attention to the residents of a zoo near Tokyo. When other monkeys shooed the baby away, Punch rushed back to the toy orangutan, hugging it for comfort.

But he’s been using the toy less. On a recent day, Punch was seen climbing on the back of another monkey, sitting with adults and sometimes getting groomed or hugged.

“It was good to see him grow, and I’m reassured,” said Sanae Izumi, a 61-year-old Punch fan from Osaka who came to the zoo because she was worried about the baby monkey. “He is adorable!”

Punch was abandoned by his mother after his birth, presumably because of exhaustion. Zookeepers nursed him and gave him the toy to train him to cling, an ability newborn macaques need to survive.

“Helping Punch learn the rules of monkey society and being accepted as a member is our most important task,” said Kosuke Kano, a 24-year-old zookeeper.

Punch was so popular after images of him and his toy showed up online last month, the zoo had to set rules to make visitors be quiet and to limit viewing to 10 minutes to reduce stress for the more than 50 other monkeys.

Punch eschewing the toy most of the time now is a good thing.

“When he grows out of the plush toy that encourages his independence, and that’s what we are hoping for,” zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina said.

Punch still sleeps with his toy every night, but Mizushina said the next thing keepers want to see is Punch bunched up with other monkeys to sleep.