California is taking the White House to court over a set of tariffs that state leaders say are unconstitutional and economically harmful. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court, Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta argue that Trump misused emergency powers to impose broad trade restrictions without congressional approval—violating the balance of power set by the Constitution.
“The president’s chaotic and haphazard implementation of tariffs is not only deeply troubling, it’s illegal,” Bonta said in a statement. “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.”
The lawsuit centers on Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a federal law meant for national security threats, not long-term trade policy. California argues that Trump’s application of IEEPA went far beyond its original purpose, allowing him to bypass Congress and impose sweeping tariffs on imports from around the world.
Those tariffs include a 10 percent levy on nearly all imported goods, 25 percent duties on products from Canada and Mexico, and tariffs as high as 145 percent on certain Chinese goods. The Trump administration said these measures were necessary to fix unfair trade practices and rebuild U.S. industry. But California leaders contend the state has borne the brunt of the fallout.
With the world’s fifth-largest economy, California relies heavily on international trade. It is the nation’s top importer and second-largest exporter, with billions of dollars in goods flowing to and from China, Mexico, and Canada each year. The lawsuit points out that California’s agriculture sector—especially farmers in the Central Valley—is particularly vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs and supply chain disruptions.
“From farmers in the Central Valley to families across the state, Californians are experiencing the consequences firsthand,” Newsom explained. “This isn’t a coherent trade policy—it’s economic chaos.”
Newsom has previously tried to take international trade talks and tariff policy for himself.
The lawsuit asks the court to invalidate Trump’s tariffs, block federal agencies such as Customs and Border Protection from enforcing them, and affirm that IEEPA does not grant the president the power to impose tariffs without congressional oversight.
This legal challenge adds to a growing list of objections to Trump’s trade policy. Earlier this week, a national business group filed its own lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing that the tariffs are unconstitutional and have hurt American companies.
Alongside the federal court fight, Newsom’s office says it is also pursuing new state-level trade agreements to help protect California’s economy from further harm. These deals, while limited in scope, aim to keep export channels open and provide a buffer against future federal actions.
Newsom and Bonta are expected to speak later today in the Central Valley to explain the lawsuit and its potential economic impact on one of the most globally connected states in the country.
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