Donald Trump seeks to move Gov. Newsom’s tariff challenge out of California

By Malathi Nayak | Bloomberg

The Trump administration is seeking to move California Governor Gavin Newsom’s legal challenge to the US tariff regime out of San Francisco federal court to the Court of International Trade in New York.

Justice Department lawyers on Thursday filed a request to transfer the case from Newsom’s home turf, arguing that the trade court has “exclusive jurisdiction” over disputes related to tariffs.

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The Democratic governor of the most populous state, who is seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, joined with California Attorney General Rob Bonta to sue the president Wednesday. They’re trying to halt Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose broad tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada. Newsom and Bonta cited harm to consumers and businesses, including those in agriculture and entertainment, in California, which has the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Trump’s unprecedented use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to enact tariffs on imports has roiled markets, stoked forecasts of a potential recession and strained relationships with overseas trading partners.

The president faces at least three other legal challenges to his tariffs, though major industries caught in the tariff crossfire have held off from any legal action for now. Two complaints were filed by conservative legal advocacy groups on behalf of small businesses, and the third by members of the Blackfeet Nation tribe in Montana.

One of the cases was filed in the trade court and assigned to a three-judge panel and Justice Department lawyers have argued that the other two should be transferred from district courts to the trade court.

Bonta’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case is State of California v. Trump, 25-cv-03372, US District Court, Northern District of California.

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