A U.S. District Court judge dismissed California’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, declaring that the case belongs in New York’s U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT).
The decision may be considered a success for the Trump administration, which had requested that the case be transferred to the CIT.
“The question before the Court is not whether the challenged tariffs are constitutional,” the court document says, explaining that, “the question is whether this action arises out of a law providing for tariffs such that the CIT has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether the President was authorized to impose tariffs in the manner, and under the circumstances, in which he has.”
“Because California requests dismissal rather than transfer to the CIT, transfer is not in the interest of justice. So, the Court DENIES the motion to transfer and DISMISSES the case without prejudice,” the document adds.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement that officials “strongly believe this case belongs in federal district court and are pleased the court considered our wishes in dismissing this case so we have the opportunity to seek review.”
“Our argument is straightforward: Trump doesn’t have the authority to impose these destructive tariffs — the International Emergency Economic Powers Act simply does not authorize tariffs,” said Bonta. “We remain confident in the strength of our case and look forward to continuing to fight for California’s vibrant economy, businesses, workers, and families.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) filed the tariff lawsuit against the Trump administration in April, arguing that the duties will negatively affect the state’s economy.
“California is the largest manufacturing state in our union, one of the largest trading partners around the globe,” he said at the time. “No state will be impacted more than the state of California as it relates to the unilateral authority that’s been asserted by the Trump administration to impose the largest tax increase in modern American history.”
