California sues Trump administration over tariffs hitting state economy the hardest
Gavin Newsom, Governor of California (Photo: Getty Images)
California has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the legality of newly imposed tariffs that the state says unfairly impact its economy, NBC News reports.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit on Wednesday, arguing that President Donald Trump lacks the legal authority to impose broad tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act.
Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, the complaint calls for the tariffs to be declared void and blocked from enforcement.
In his podcast, Newsom stated, "The president doesn’t have the unilateral authority to impose one of the largest tax increases in US history."
He emphasized that California, the nation’s top manufacturing state, is bearing the brunt of these economic measures.
"Impacts of these tariffs are disproportionately being felt here in California," Newsom added, pointing to the risk of rising costs for businesses and consumers alike.
California warns of real consequences for farmers and families
Attorney General Bonta echoed those concerns, calling the tariffs not just economically harmful but legally flawed.
"The president’s tariffs are not only deeply troubling, it’s illegal," Bonta said.
"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," she added.
Trump has defended the tariffs as a tool for economic leverage, boasting about "hundreds of billions of dollars" being collected from countries that, in his words, "ripped off the United States for decades."
Despite temporarily reducing most duties to 10% for a 90-day negotiation window, the administration maintains a 145% tariff on Chinese imports.
As legal tensions rise, California is positioning itself as a frontline opponent to Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
The lawsuit comes amid growing global alarm over the broader consequences of Trump’s tariff war, which has already triggered retaliatory measures from China, rocked international stock markets, and raised fears of a looming economic crisis.
