Governor says import tariffs are ‘wreaking chaos’ on the state’s families, businesses and economy
California is asking a court to block Donald Trump’s “illegal” tariffs, accusing the president of overstepping his authority and threatening trade in a state with the world’s fifth-largest economy.
The lawsuit, brought by California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and attorney general, Rob Bonta, challenges Trump’s invocation of emergency powers to unilaterally impose tariffs on imports, which have rattled stock markets and raised fears of recession.
“President Trump’s unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses and our economy, driving up prices and threatening jobs,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re standing up for American families who can’t afford to let the chaos continue.”
Relying on a statute known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), Trump has issued a series of declarations imposing, reversing, delaying, restarting and modifying tariffs on the US’s trading partners.
The complaint argues that the law does not give the US president the authority to impose tariffs without the consent of Congress.
