Sacramento, CA…Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging President Trump’s use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers, and businesses. The lawsuit argues that President Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, creating immediate and irreparable harm to California, the largest economy, manufacturing, and agriculture state in the nation.
These tariffs have disrupted supply chains, inflated costs for the state and Californians, and inflicted billions in damages on California’s economy, the fifth largest in the world.
“President Trump’s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy — driving up prices and threatening jobs. We’re standing up for American families who can’t afford to let the chaos continue.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
“The President’s chaotic and haphazard implementation of tariffs is not only deeply troubling, it’s illegal. As the fifth largest economy in the world, California understands global trade policy is not just a game. Californians are bracing for fallout from the impact of the President’s choices — from farmers in the Central Valley, to small businesses in Sacramento, and worried families at the kitchen table — this game the President is playing has very real consequences for Californians across our state. I am proud to go to bat alongside Governor Newsom to fight for California’s vibrant economy, businesses, and residents.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, requests the court to declare the tariffs imposed by President Trump void and enjoin their implementation.
The President lacks authority to enact unilateral tariffs
The lawsuit argues that President Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs against Mexico, China, and Canada or create an across-the-board 10% tariff. The President’s use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact tariffs is unlawful and unprecedented.
The IEEPA gives the President authority to take certain actions if he declares a national emergency in response to a foreign national security, foreign policy, or economic threat. The law, which was enacted by Congress in 1977, specifies many different actions the President can take, but tariffs aren’t one of them. In fact, this is the first time a president has attempted to rely on this law to impose tariffs.
Supreme Court precedent
The lawsuit invokes the U.S. Supreme Court’s major questions doctrine, which holds that in novel matters of vast economic and political significance, federal agencies and the executive branch must have clear and specific authorization from Congress. In recent years, the Court has applied this standard to strike down major initiatives, including President Obama’s Clean Power Plan and President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, ruling that novel executive actions with broad impacts on the national economy cannot rest on vague statutory authority.
It is difficult to imagine a more economically significant set of actions than the one Trump is taking on tariffs, which have inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses on a whim, using a statute that doesn’t mention tariffs. The Court, applying this doctrine even-handedly, will find that such expansive action absent congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.
California is the backbone of the nation’s economy
California’s gross domestic product was $3.9 trillion in 2023, making it 50% bigger than the GDP of the nation’s next-largest state, Texas. The state drives national economic growth and also sends over $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives in federal funding. California is the leading agricultural producer in the country and is also the center for manufacturing output in the United States, with over 36,000 manufacturing firms employing over 1.1 million Californians. The Golden State’s manufacturing firms have created new industries and supplied the world with manufactured goods spanning aerospace, computers and electronics, and, most recently, zero-emission vehicles.
The Golden State is global leader in two-way trade
California engaged in nearly $675 billion in two-way trade in 2024, supporting millions of jobs throughout the state. California’s economy and workers rely heavily on this trade activity, particularly with Mexico, Canada, and China – our top 3 trade partners. Over 40% of California imports come from these countries, totaling $203 billion of the more than $491 billion in goods imported by California in 2024. These countries are also our top three export destinations, buying nearly $67 billion in California exports, which was over one-third of the state’s $183 billion in exported goods in 2024.
Tariffs irreparably harm California businesses and consumers
As the largest economy in the nation, the largest agriculture state in the nation, and the largest U.S. trading partner, the harm of the tariffs on the state of California is immense. President Trump’s policies have already inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses.
Tariffs have an outsized impact on California businesses, including its more than 60,000 small business exporters.
Standing up for California families and businesses
Governor Newsom has responded quickly to help reduce negative impacts from the Trump tariffs on California’s economy and maintain California’s strong partnerships worldwide. Today’s lawsuit follows the Governor’s recent announcement of California’s goal to create new strategic trade relationships with international partners aimed at strengthening shared economic resilience and protecting California’s manufacturers, workers, farmers, businesses, and supply chains. The Governor has also announced a new international campaign to help maintain the strong tourism partnership between California and Canada.
More opposition to President Trump’s tariffs
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas): “Listen, I love President Trump, I’m his strongest supporter, and I think he’s doing incredible things as president. But here’s one thing to understand, a tariff is a tax.”
U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky): “Every dollar collected in tariff revenue comes straight out of the pockets of American consumers.”
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska): “And if the global implications of these tariffs have shown us nothing else, it’s that measures that are as important as these should be considered by the 535 elected individuals that are in tune with the American people, rather than vesting that with just one individual acting unilaterally.”
Ben Shapiro, political commentator: “The idea that this is inherently good and makes the American economy strong is wrongheaded; it is untrue…”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “What we have heard from business of all sizes, across all industries, from around the country is that these broad tariffs are a tax increase that will raise prices for American consumers and hurt the economy.”
National Retail Federation: “American consumers could lose between $46 billion and $78 billion in spending power each year if new tariffs on imports to the United States are implemented.”
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: “The dumbest trade war in history.”
Governor Newsom Files Lawsuit to End President Trump’s Tariffs added by admin on
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Gavin tells Mike Johnson to do his job. Well Gavin what about the the fraud in EDD and High Speed Rail and other fraud cases, Do Your Job.
Trump needs to start micro-dosing.
The worst Governor in the nation…
Boy you have that one right!
Yeah……but he sure is dreamy.
Maybe Gavin will let me suck his dick, Sniveler
I agree^^^We need to get Marjorie Taylor Green here to run our state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gavin Harvey Weinstein
It’s confirmed, HARVEY WEINSTEIN IS THE 1st Ladies personal body guard! Gavy is going to commute Harvs sentence, by the way, this “greaser” should never get close to the White House, you and Jerry Brown and the Libtards have screwed this state up royally, go visit Auntie Nancy, and the rest of the losers in our government in this state!
GNS – Newsom syndrome. Just try to match his ability to remember facts,data , history.
Intimidated by a man with a brain eh?
The don clearly is a child trying to be a man, but his revenge, and stupidity of important issues like tariffs, shows he is way out of his ability to grasp whole issues.
The don is a Putin tool. That is clear.
Today his DC Attorney candidate neglected to list he was on Russian State media 100 times.
The Republican party also prefers Russia over America. Their votes in Congress show this.
I’d eat Auntie Nancy ass out, Sniveler
I went in today for a colonoscopy woke up during the procedure and that was no colonscope the Doctor had stuck in my ass, Sniveler
^^Better try again Festus. Consult your dickshunary.
Thank goodness! This insane imbecile in the white house is just itching to make America a third world developing country so he can wield even more of his dictator power overall of us. America is no longer a “free” country.
Maybe Maine is the place for liberals and anti American demonstrators. Take Gav the the Peter puffer and limp anti and snive- As well. Maybe Canada can have you limp wrist join them.
Where the eff did you^^^^^^^go to school? Let me guess………..
ImaDunce University????
Sniveler High you dumb fucker.
Gavin is about a billion times smarter then Trump. (:
Why isn’t he the President then if he’s that smart???????????????
A much more intelligent thing to do. Defund ALS Research. Because trump is against everyone but rich white billionaires
America is leading the world. In one thing today. STUPIDITY
Trump said he is going to ruin California and everything he is doing is NOT for the people but to fulfill his vendetta against California and ruin us. That’s why his primary countries he targeted are China, Mexico, and Canada.
California is already ruin thanks to Gavin.
Try again Dunce. Restructure that imbasallistic sentence.
Is that you Mr. Know it All?????????????????
I second that, the Tards have already taken California into the dumper! If any of you believe Trump is responsible for our decline, then u weren’t around when Joie and company were in charge!
I was around but I always had my face buried into a pillow.
America is now a mafia style dictatorship, allowed by the Republicans, who admit they are deathly afraid of the don’s mob style retribution which can even use murder.
The Republicans are sitting by as doge kills SS, medicare, all the agencies that protect your air, water, food, drugs.
The don is openly ignoring so many laws, he goads the SCOTUS to try to restrain him.
We are living in a full blown dictatorship thanks to the Republicans, who stood up to Nixon, but now as agents of Putin are allowing the US to become a dictatorship in lightening speed.
We have the Republican party and their billionaire sponsors who made it all possible.
It all started with the bush V Gore SCOTUS coup, which led to justice Roberts, and his killing the anti bribery laws, election laws in America.
Be proud Republicans, you killed Democracy in America.
^^^THIS^^^
Gavin is stupid trumps arch enemy.
I’m Sniveler arch enemy but I do like the skull he gives me, Anti