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California is taking President Donald Trump to court over his tariffs.
State leaders say he doesn’t have the power to put these tariffs in place without Congress and that they are seriously hurting the state’s economy.
California is often called the country’s breadbasket. It grows about one-third of all the vegetables in the US, and 75% of the fruits and nuts. But a lot of that food is sold to other countries. In 2022, California exported nearly $24 billion worth of produce.
Because China is putting new taxes (tariffs) on American goods, California farmers could lose a lot of money. These tariffs are a response to U.S. actions, creating a trade conflict.
This possible trade war is adding more worry to farming. Farmers have to plan and make choices far in advance, even before knowing how their crops will sell. This makes the uncertainty even harder.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to stop the tariffs on goods from Mexico, China, and Canada, as well as the 10% tariff Trump applied to many imports.
They say the law Trump is using — the International Economic Emergency Powers Act — has never been used to allow tariffs and needs approval from Congress for major actions like this.
They announced the lawsuit at an almond farm in Stanislaus County. Newsom said the tariffs act like a sales tax that makes everything more expensive — even for Trump’s supporters. California is the biggest manufacturing state and, according to Newsom, has a duty to fight back.
He warned that decades of economic progress are being quickly undone. “We know people are worried,” he said. “We won’t just stand by. We need to speak up and help shape the conversation.”
In response, a White House spokesman defended the tariffs and criticized Newsom, saying he should focus on problems in California like crime and homelessness. He said Trump’s tariffs are meant to fix the trade deficit and help U.S. workers.
The lawsuit refers to the “major questions doctrine,” a legal rule that says big decisions with wide effects need Congress’s input. This rule has been used before to strike down other presidential actions.
Newsom said if the courts are consistent, California will win the case. His office said the tariffs have already cost the state billions. Bonta added that major industries like farming and manufacturing — and California consumers — are feeling the pain. He pointed out that California’s top trade partners are Mexico, Canada, and China.
Bonta said, “Trump’s out-of-control tariffs are damaging California’s economy, which is the fifth largest in the world. He doesn’t have the right to do this.”
Christine Gemperle, who owns the almond farm, said her business is uncertain about being able to afford the equipment it needs. “We can’t wait for years for supply chains to recover,” she said. “Farming is already hard. We don’t need more uncertainty.”
Governor Newsom has been quieter about Trump lately, especially while asking for federal help after the wildfires. But now he’s speaking out more strongly, even accusing Trump of “corruption.”
This is California’s 14th lawsuit against Trump this year. State lawmakers earlier created a $50 million legal fund to fight Trump’s policies. Half of it goes to the state Department of Justice.
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said, “Trump’s tariffs are the biggest tax hike we’ve seen. They’re raising prices on food, medicine, and cars. That’s why we set up this legal fund — to protect people from these harmful policies.”
Newsom said they didn’t want to take legal action but felt they had to.
Sources: NPR, Guardian.
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