{"id":190409,"date":"2025-04-16T11:04:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T18:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=190409"},"modified":"2025-04-16T11:04:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T18:04:04","slug":"governor-newsom-files-lawsuit-to-end-president-trumps-tariffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=190409","title":{"rendered":"Governor Newsom Files Lawsuit to End President Trump\u2019s Tariffs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta today <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/FILE_8502.pdf\"><strong>filed a lawsuit<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in federal court challenging President Trump\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta Announce Lawsuit to Block Tariffs\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o28-CVwZQkY\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>These tariffs have disrupted supply chains, inflated costs for the state and Californians, and inflicted billions in damages on California\u2019s economy, the fifth largest in the world.<\/p>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 quote  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p><em>\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy \u2014 driving up prices and threatening jobs. We\u2019re standing up for American families who can\u2019t afford to let the chaos continue.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><small>Governor Gavin Newsom<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 quote  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p><em>\u201cThe President\u2019s chaotic and haphazard implementation of tariffs is not only deeply troubling, it\u2019s 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\u2019s choices \u2014 from farmers in the Central Valley, to small businesses in Sacramento, and worried families at the kitchen table \u2014 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\u2019s vibrant economy, businesses, and residents.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Rob Bonta<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_row_inner et_pb_row_inner_3\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_inner et_pb_column_inner_3 et-last-child\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p>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.<br \/>\n<strong>The President lacks authority to enact unilateral tariffs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact tariffs is unlawful and unprecedented.<br \/>\nThe 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.\u00a0 The law, which was enacted by Congress in 1977, specifies many different actions the President can take, but tariffs aren\u2019t one of them. In fact, this is the first time a president has attempted to rely on this law to impose tariffs.<br \/>\n<strong>Supreme Court precedent<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit invokes the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s 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\u2019s Clean Power Plan and President Biden\u2019s student loan forgiveness program, ruling that novel executive actions with broad impacts on the national economy cannot rest on vague statutory authority.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California is the backbone of the nation\u2019s economy\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>California\u2019s gross domestic product was $3.9 trillion in 2023, making it 50% bigger than the GDP of the nation\u2019s 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\u2019s manufacturing firms have created new industries and supplied the world with manufactured goods spanning aerospace, computers and electronics, and, most recently, zero-emission vehicles.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Golden State is\u00a0global leader in two-way trade<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>California engaged in nearly $675 billion in two-way trade in 2024, supporting millions of jobs throughout the state. California\u2019s economy and workers rely heavily on this trade activity, particularly with Mexico, Canada, and China \u2013 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\u2019s $183 billion in exported goods in 2024.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tariffs irreparably harm California businesses and consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s policies have already inflicted hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses.<\/p>\n<p>Tariffs have an outsized impact on California businesses, including its more than 60,000 small business exporters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Standing up for California families and businesses\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Governor Newsom has responded quickly to help reduce negative impacts from the Trump tariffs on California\u2019s economy and maintain California\u2019s strong partnerships worldwide. Today\u2019s lawsuit follows the Governor\u2019s recent announcement of California\u2019s goal to create\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2025\/04\/04\/governor-newsom-directs-state-to-pursue-strategic-relationships-with-international-trading-partners-urges-exemptions-of-california-made-products-from-tariffs\/\"><strong>new strategic trade relationships with international partners<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0aimed at strengthening shared economic resilience and protecting California\u2019s manufacturers, workers, farmers, businesses, and supply chains.\u00a0 The Governor has also announced a new<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2025\/04\/14\/governor-newsom-and-visit-california-launch-international-tourism-campaign-welcoming-canadians-to-experience-the-warmth-and-love-of-the-golden-state\/\"><strong>\u00a0international campaign\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>to help maintain the strong tourism partnership between California and Canada.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More opposition to President Trump\u2019s tariffs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas):\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cListen, I love President Trump, I\u2019m his strongest supporter, and I think he\u2019s doing incredible things as president. But here\u2019s one thing to understand, a tariff is a tax.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky):\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cEvery dollar collected in tariff revenue comes straight out of the pockets of American consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska):<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cAnd if the global implications of these tariffs have shown us nothing else, it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ben Shapiro, political commentator:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe idea that this is inherently good and makes the American economy strong is wrongheaded; it is untrue\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>U.S. Chamber of Commerce:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhat 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>National Retail Federation:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cAmerican 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe dumbest trade war in history.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit\u00a0in federal court challenging President Trump\u2019s 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":190410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4162025-105946-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=190409"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190411,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190409\/revisions\/190411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/190410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=190409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=190409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=190409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}