Gavin Newson is suing Donald Trump over his sweeping tariffs, claiming they are “unlawful.”
The California governor said the levies on foreign trading partners are “wreaking havoc” on the Golden State, which has the largest economy in the country.
He said the tariffs will do California “immediate and irreparable harm”.
Newsom has avoided a showdown with Trump since the president’s inauguration in January.
Donald Trump does not have the authority to impose these destructive and chaotic tariffs. America stands to lose too much. pic.twitter.com/KwDh8yBPXV
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 16, 2025
Now the governor expected to run for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 2028 election seems set on a confrontation with the White House.
He went to war on the president’s tariff plan on Wednesday, filing a lawsuit condemning the administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose punitive tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada, California’s biggest trading partners.
“We’re standing up for American families who can’t afford to let the chaos continue,” Newsom said in a statement.
“President Trump’s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy — driving up prices and threatening jobs,” he added.
“No state will suffer more than the state of Californias,” he said in a post on X.
Donald Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally impose the largest tax hike of our lifetime with his destructive tariffs.We’re taking him to court. pic.twitter.com/LAm1NRx300
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 16, 2025
California, which has the fifth largest economy in the world, is the first state to take legal action against Trump over the tariffs. China is currently facing 145 percent levies and Mexico and Canada have been designated 25 percent tariffs. Most other countries have been told they will have a 120 percent baseline during a 90 day pause on the sliding scale of tariffs originally announced by the president.
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