California is preparing to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump on Wednesday in a bid to contest his expansive tariff policies, arguing that these actions are being executed unlawfully.
This forthcoming federal lawsuit will mark California as the first state to legally challenge the Trump administration’s extensive tariff measures, which have triggered significant market fluctuations and strained relations with the nation’s allies and trading partners.
“Donald Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally impose the largest tax hike of our lifetime with his destructive tariffs,” California Governor Gavin Newsom stated on X. “We’re taking him to court.”
The lawsuit is expected to assert that Trump’s invocation of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act—used recently to enforce his reciprocal tariff strategy—is “unlawful and unprecedented,” according to statements from Newsom’s office relayed to NBC News.
Officials emphasize that the situation poses “immediate and irreparable harm to California, the largest economy, manufacturing, and agriculture state in the nation.”
The legal action, which will be initiated in U.S. District Court located in Northern California, aims to have Trump’s tariffs invalidated.
Governor Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta plan to conduct a press conference at 1:30 p.m. ET to officially announce the lawsuit.
“The President’s chaotic and haphazard implementation of tariffs is not only deeply troubling, it’s illegal,” Bonta expressed in a statement to NBC.
“As the fifth largest economy in the world, California recognizes that global trade policy is not just an arbitrary exercise,” he added.
“Californians are preparing for the repercussions of the President’s decisions—from farmers in the Central Valley to small business owners in Sacramento, and families contemplating the impact at their kitchen tables.”
This is a developing story. Please return for further updates.
