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On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed plans to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump in response to tariffs introduced earlier this month. According to The New York Times, the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, aims to invalidate the tariffs and prevent their enforcement by federal authorities.

As the fifth largest economy globally, California faces substantial economic risk due to these tariffs, which threaten industries ranging from tech in Silicon Valley to agriculture reliant on global markets. The legal move would make California the first state to formally oppose Trump’s extensive tariff measures.

In a video shared on social media, Newsom announced that the state of California would initiate legal action, emphasizing its status as the leading manufacturing hub in the U.S. and a significant player in global trade. Newsom stated in the video: “No state stands to be more affected than California by the Trump administration’s unilateral move to impose what amounts to the biggest tax increase in recent U.S. history. President Trump does not have the legal power to enforce such sweeping tariffs without checks. We’re taking legal steps to stop him.”

Trump enacted the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which grants the president extensive control over economic activities following a national emergency declaration. The emergency declaration was made on April 2, paving the way for the tariffs that prompted the legal challenge.

The California lawsuit will contend that Trump’s invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enforce his reciprocal tariff policy is both “unlawful and unprecedented.” Officials say the tariffs pose serious and immediate harm to California’s economy, particularly as the state leads the nation in sectors like manufacturing and agriculture.

The White House pushed back regarding the lawsuit and criticized Newsom’s priorities, with spokesperson Kush Desai said: “Instead of addressing California’s spiraling crime, homelessness, and affordability issues, Gavin Newsom is trying to obstruct President Trump’s historic efforts to confront America’s chronic trade deficits.”

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The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated legal action against the state of Maine, challenging its policy that allows transgender athletes to participate in girls’ and women’s sports.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday that the DOJ filed a lawsuit against Maine, claiming the state is violating Title IX by opposing a presidential executive order regarding transgender participation in women’s sports. Bondi alleges that Maine is engaging in unlawful sex-based discrimination by refusing to follow a directive issued by former President Trump, which bars transgender students from joining girls’ and women’s athletic programs.

Bondi said during a press briefing on Wednesday: “We’ve pursued every other option available. This step became necessary.” Bondi made the announcement alongside Riley Gaines, a prominent critic of transgender inclusion in women’s sports, as well as several Maine parents and students who oppose the state’s current stance. She said: “the Justice Department cannot stand idly by while female athletes face discrimination. This is not just about sports—it’s about protecting these young women’s physical safety. Many of them have shared their personal experiences with me, and what they’ve endured is deeply troubling.”

According to the lawsuit: “Maine’s Department of Education is actively violating federal anti-discrimination laws by allowing policies that force girls to compete against biological males in sports specifically designated for females. By giving precedence to gender identity over biological sex, the state’s actions undermine fair competition, reduce equal opportunities for female athletes, and may result in greater risks of physical harm and emotional distress.”

In response, Maine Governor Janet Mills criticized the lawsuit, suggesting it’s a political move intended to coerce Maine into disregarding constitutional principles and state sovereignty. Mills, a Democrat, called the attempt to revoke federal funding an abuse of executive power: “throughout my career—as a district attorney, attorney general, and now governor—I have consistently advocated for women’s rights, children’s well-being, and the integrity of our state and national constitutions. We will fight back against the DOJ’s actions and defend Maine’s policies in court … This issue has never been genuinely about protecting women or ensuring fairness in school athletics. It’s about the fundamental rights of states to govern themselves and resist federal overreach.”

The executive order at the heart of the dispute refers to transgender women as “men” and threatens to withhold federal funds from educational institutions that permit transgender women to compete in women’s sports. According to the executive order: “It is the policy of the United States to withhold funding from any educational program that denies girls and women equal opportunities in sports.”

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