CA Attorney General Bonta throws support behind case challenging Trump administration’s illegal tariffs
Published Date: Jul 30, 2025
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- Lead States
- Action Type Amicus brief
CA Attorney General Rob Bonta filed an amicus brief in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, a lawsuit challenging the tariffs President Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In April, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of power to levy tariffs via over a dozen executive orders under IEEPA. In the brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom argue that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was correct in holding that the Trump Administration’s interpretation of its authority under IEEPA is incorrect, that IEEPA’s language does not provide the authority to impose tariffs, and that President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are unlawful (and that, much like California’s own case, the plaintiffs’ case was properly filed in district court, not the Court of International Trade). The brief urges the Court of Appeals to affirm the District Court’s decision. “As the country braces for continuous chaos from President Trump’s illegal tariffs, standing united to fight for American consumers and businesses is more important than ever. Today, I urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to affirm the District Court’s decision that President Trump’s chaotic tariffs are unlawful — not one word in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trump Administration’s vehicle for these tariffs, authorizes tariffs. These illegal tariffs will affect everything from the cost of essential household items like food and toilet paper to the cost of housing. The tariff chaos is a man-made crisis, and California families and industries will pay the price.” – AG Bonta