California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) announced plans to sue the Trump administration Wednesday, challenging President Trump’s authority to enact tariffs they claim will cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the Golden State.
In the lawsuit, expected to be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, they argue the president lacks the power to impose steep import taxes through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. The duo contended that the tariffs have “disrupted” supply chains, hiked costs for Californians and damaged the state’s economy.
“President Trump’s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy — driving up prices and threatening jobs,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re standing up for American families who can’t afford to let the chaos continue.”
Trump and his allies have vigorously defended his trade agenda, arguing the duties will lead to a manufacturing revival in the U.S. and help slash the nation’s growing deficit.
The president has imposed 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, the largest U.S. trading partners, arguing the U.S.’s neighbors have not done enough to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the country. He also recently implemented a 10 percent baseline tariff on nearly all imports and levied even higher reciprocal taxes on many countries — though the majority of these are under a pause, with the exception of China, which is currently under a 145 percent tax.
The lawsuit represents California’s first challenge to the president’s agenda in court since Trump’s second White House term kicked off in January.