California sues Trump administration over tariffs

California’s ports and agriculture face significant tariff impacts
State says Trump has no authority to tax imports ‘on a whim’
Trump’s tariffs face other legal challenges from other states
Experts question legality of Trump’s tariffs under IEEPA

California on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking to block U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, accusing him of abusing his powers and inflicting financial harm on the state and nation.

Trump imposed 10% tariffs on goods from all countries and higher tariffs for countries the administration says have high barriers to U.S. imports, most of which he later paused for 90 days. He also imposed a 145% tariff on China, with exceptions for certain electronics.

Thế giới mới từ sự trở lại của ông Trump

China has retaliated with a 125% tariff against the U.S., and the European Union has approved tariffs to retaliate as well, though they are currently paused.

The U.S. Constitution vests the authority to impose tariffs in Congress, and the law that Trump cites as authority for his new tariffs, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), does not allow the president to “tax all goods entering the United States on a whim,” the state said in its lawsuit.

Governor Newsom files lawsuit to end President Trump's tariffs | Governor of California

“President Trump’s new tariff regime has already had devastating impacts on the economy, creating chaos in the stock and bond markets, wiping out hundreds of billions of dollars in market capitalization in hours, chilling investment in the face of such consequential Presidential action with no notice or process, and threatening to push the country into recession,” the lawsuit said.

California, the world’s fifth largest economy and the largest importer of goods among U.S. states, “bears an inordinate share” of the tariffs’ costs,” according to the lawsuit.

Tariffs could cripple California’s 12 ports, which take in 40% of goods imported to the U.S. and provide steady tax revenue for the state. And retaliatory tariffs from China and other nations could harm California’s agricultural exports, which totaled $23.6 billion in 2022, potentially costing thousands of jobs, according to the lawsuit.

A China Shipping container is seen at the port of Oakland, California

White House spokesman Kush Desai said on Wednesday that California Governor Gavin Newsom should focus on addressing crime, homelessness, and high prices in his state instead of trying to block Trump’s tariffs.

“The entire Trump administration remains committed to addressing this national emergency that’s decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind with every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations,” Desai said.

In executive orders imposing the tariffs, Trump had invoked laws including the IEEPA, which gives presidents special powers to combat unusual or extraordinary threats to the U.S. The Republican president has said that the United States’ net trade deficit relative to the rest of the world is a national emergency endangering its manufacturing capacity and making it dependent on foreign adversaries.

In Wednesday’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, both Democrats, asked a judge to bar the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection from enforcing the tariffs.

Gavin Newsom: California sues Trump administration over 'unlawful tariffs'

The Trump administration already faces three similar lawsuits – one in the New York-based Court of International Trade by business advocacy group Liberty Justice Center seeking to block all of the tariffs, one in Florida federal court by a small business owner seeking to block the tariffs on China, and a third filed in Montana by members of the Blackfeet Nation – a Native American tribe that spans Montana and Canada’s Alberta province – challenging Trump’s tariffs on Canada.

Experts say Trump tariffs are on shaky legal ground, because the law cited by Trump is meant to address “unusual and extraordinary” threats to the U.S.

The trade deficits and decline in U.S. manufacturing that Trump has identified as justification for the tariffs do not meet that standard, and are instead a natural consequence of U.S. policies that have aimed to lower trade barriers since World War Two, according Stratos Pahis, a professor who teaches international trade law at Brooklyn Law School.

“It is very hard to understand how these circumstances are ‘unusual and extraordinary’,” Pahis said by telephone. “Those words are in the statute, and they have to mean something.”

Reporting By Brendan Pierson, Dietrich Knauth and Jon Stempel in New York and Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Chizu Nomiyama and Sandra Maler

“Hands Off!”: Americans across country protest Trump, Musk

Protesters attend a “Hands Off” rally to demonstrate against President Donald Trump on the National Mall, April 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in cities across the United States in opposition to the policies of Mr. Trump, in the largest protests since he returned to the presidency. At least 1,300 rallies were held in all 50 states and in U.S. territories, according to organizers, who said attendance far exceeded expectations. Demonstrations were also held in a dozen cities overseas.

Washington, D.C.

US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION-GOVERNMENT — AMID FARAHI/AFP via Getty Images

Demonstrators gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators gather outside the offices of USAID (which has been targeted by President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk) during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protests, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Hands Off Protest — Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Thousands of protesters gather for the “Hands Off!” rally around the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Protesters gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Protesters gather outside the Ronald Reagan Building for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., on April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Day Of Action Protests Across The Country — Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Protesters attend a “Hands Off” rally to demonstrate against President Donald Trump on the National Mall, April 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators outside the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., participate in the nationwide “Hands Off!” protests against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators Protest Trump Administration Policies In Washington During Nationwide Day Of Protest — Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Demonstrators march during a protest near the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION-GOVERNMENT — ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters gather on the National Mall for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Anti-Trump 'Hands Off!' protest, in Washington — Ken Cedeno/REUTERS

A demonstrator holds a sign featuring an image of Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his policies, on the Washington Monument grounds in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Protestors gather during a “Hands Off!” protest against the policies of US President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

An aerial view of demonstrators rallying against President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest on the Washington Monument grounds, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Shoes representing children killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict are arranged by pro-Palestine activists during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators rally against President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest on the Washington Monument grounds, in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators hold up signs during a “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump at the Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C., Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators attend a rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., protesting the Trump administration, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Washington, D.C.

Demonstrators are encouraged to throw shoes at a photograph of Elon Musk in Washington, D.C., April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

Anti-Trump 'Hands Off!' protest, in New York — Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS

Demonstrators march as part of a nationwide “Hands Off!” anti-Trump protest in New York City, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

Nationwide Hands Off Democracy anti-Trump protests — Caitlin Ochs/REUTERS

People protest in Manhattan during a demonstration that is part of larger “Hands Off!” events organized nationwide against President Donald Trump, in New York City, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

Demonstrators march during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in New York City, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

PLACE HOLDER: Day Of Action Protests Across The Country — Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Thousands take to the streets in New York City in a “Hands Off!” demonstration to voice their opposition to the Trump administration, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

People protest in Manhattan, part of “Hands Off!” events organized nationwide against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Elon Musk, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

People protest in Manhattan, part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” rallies against President Donald Trump, in New York City, April 5, 2025.

Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University doctoral student from Turkey, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials as she walked along a street in a Boston suburb on March 25; she was then moved to an ICE detention center in Basile, Louisiana. She is currently fighting deportation.

New York, New York

Thousands take to the streets in New York City in a “Hands Off!” demonstration to voice their opposition to the Trump administration, April 5, 2025.

New York, New York

'Hands Off!' protesters rally against Trump in New York — Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Demonstrators marched along Fifth Avenue for the “Hands Off”‘ protest against the Trump administration, April 5, 2025, in New York City.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Activists protest President Donald Trump during a “Hands Off!” demonstration Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Activists protest President Donald Trump (then just a few miles away at the Trump National Golf Club), during a “Hands Off!” demonstration Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Floriada.

West Palm Beach, Florida

A dog joins a rally against President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest outside the Palm Beach County Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 5, 2025.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Protesters gather outside the Minnesota State Capitol building during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in St. Paul, Minnesota, April 5, 2025.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Demonstrators gather outside the Minnesota State Capitol during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in St. Paul, Minnesota, April 5, 2025.

St. Paul, Minnesota

Rome, Georgia

Demonstrators hold signs and speak to passing vehicles, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Rome, Georgia.

Atlanta, Georgia

People take part in the nationwide anti-Trump “Hands Off” protest in Atlanta, April 5, 2025.

Atlanta, Georgia

Hands Off! National Day of Action — Carol Lee Rose/Getty Images for Community Change Action

Demonstrators attend a “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, held at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, April 5, 2025.

Atlanta, Georgia

Demonstrators attend a “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, held at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

Senator Ed Markey (center), Democrat of Massachusetts, marches with demonstrators during the “Hands Off” rally in Boston, April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

Thousands of demonstrators gather on Boston Common during the “Hands Off!” rally in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

Thousands of demonstrators gather on Boston Common during the “Hands Off!” rally in Boston, April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

A demonstrator dressed as George Washington marches during the “Hands Off!” rally in Boston, April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

Thousands of demonstrators gather on Boston Common during the “Hands Off!” rally in Boston, April 5, 2025.

Boston, Massachusetts

Anti-Trump “Hands Off” protest in Boston — Reba Saldanha/REUTERS

Demonstrators take part in the nationwide “Hands Off!” anti-Trump protests in Boston, April 5, 2025.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Demonstrators hold signs during a “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Asheville, North Carolina

Anti-Trump 'Hands Off!' protest, in Asheville — Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS

Demonstrators rally against resident Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest, in Asheville, North Carolina, April 5, 2025.

Asheville, North Carolina

Demonstrators rally against President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” protest, in Asheville, North Carolina, April 5, 2025.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Demonstrators hold a “Hands Off” protest rally against President Donald Trump, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, April 5, 2025.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Demonstrators hold a “Hands Off” protest rally against President Donald Trump, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, April 5, 2025.

Lansing, Michigan

Demonstrators arrive for the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against US President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing on April 5, 2025.

Lansing, Michigan

People gather for the “Hands Off!” protest against the policies of President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, April 5, 2025.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Eight-year-old Teddy Burdick listens to speakers alongside his sister, 11-year-old Addy Burdick, during a “Hands Off!” rally on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “I just need to teach them the difference between right and wrong,” said their father, Dustin Burdick.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Community organizer Emerson Wolfe leads a march down Ottawa Avenue during a “Hands Off!” rally on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Stamford, Connecticut

Anti-Trump protesters gather in Stamford — Nathan Layne/REUTERS

Paul Kretschmann, 74, holds a sign at a “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk, in Stamford, Connecticut, April 5, 2025.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Protesters carry signs in protest of the policies of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk during a “Hands Off!” demonstration, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Miami, Florida

Protesters carry signs and chant slogans against the policies of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Miami.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

People begin to walk from City Hall to Independence Mall during the “Hands Off!” National Day of Action demonstration, in Philadelphia, April 5, 2025.

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Approximately 300 local demonstrators with SOKY Indivisible gather in the rain at Circus Square Park in downtown Bowling Green, Kentucky, Saturday, April 5, 2025, to protest against President Donald Trump and his administration as part of a nationwide “Hands Off!” protest.

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Approximately 300 local demonstrators with SOKY Indivisible gather at Circus Square Park in downtown Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, to protest against President Donald Trump and his administration as part of a nationwide “Hands Off!” protest.

Salt Lake City, Utah

People participate in a protest, in a demonstration that is part of larger "Hands off" events organized nationwide against U.S. President Trump, in Salt Lake City — Jim Urquhart/REUTERS

People protest at the Utah State Capitol, in a demonstration that is part of the “Hands Off!” events organized nationwide against President Donald Trump, in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 5, 2025.

Salt Lake City, Utah

The driver of a car displaying a transgender flag high-fives a protester during a “Hands Off!” demonstration in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 5, 2025.

St. Joseph, Michigan

Barbara Starke (right) joins hundreds of people gathered in downtown St. Joseph, Michigan, Saturday, April 5, 2025, during a “Hands Off!” rally held to protest the Trump administration and recent DOGE cuts.

St. Joseph, Michigan

A Trump supporter drives past demonstrators in downtown St. Joseph, Michigan, Saturday, April 5, 2025, during a “Hands Off” rally held to protest the Trump administration and recent DOGE cuts.

Brattleboro, Vermont

Hundreds of people show up to protest President Donald Trump at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vermont, during a national “Hands Off” protest, on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Demonstrators march near the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., during the “Hands Off!” national day of protest against the Trump administration, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Charleston, West Virginia

Demonstrators gather outside the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, Saturday, April 5, 2025, for the “Hands Off!” rally to protest the policies of the Trump administration.

Houston, Texas

Demonstrators march during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Houston, Texas, April 5, 2025.

Houston, Texas

Demonstrators rally during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Houston, Texas, April 5, 2025.

Houston, Texas

Demonstrators rally during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against US President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Houston, Texas, on April 5, 2025.

Columbia, South Carolina

Demonstrators participate in a “Hands Off!” protest at the statehouse on April 5, 2025 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Columbia, South Carolina

Demonstrators hold signs supporting the U.S. Postal Service during a “Hands Off!” protest at the statehouse on April 5, 2025 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Huntington Beach, California

Demonstrators rally during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Huntington Beach, California, April 5, 2025.

San Jose, California

Protesters attend a demonstration at St. James Park in San Jose, California, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” rallies against President Donald Trump.

Omaha, Nebraska

Christine Mahon waves at passing cars with other protestors lining Dodge Street during a demonstration against President Trump’s administration in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

A driver waves to protesters as they rally in the streets of downtown Colorado Springs, Colo., Saturday, April 5, 2025, as people across the country gathered to protest President Donald Trump and his policies.

San Francisco, California

Protesters form a human banner on Ocean Beach during a protest against President Donald Trump, part of the “Hands Off!” rallies held nationwide, in San Francisco, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

San Francisco, California

Demonstrators gather in Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on Saturday, April 5, 2025, during a protest against President Donald Trump, part of the “Hands Off” rallies held nationwide.

Los Angeles, California

A large balloon with an image of President Donald Trump is seen above protesters holding signs during the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in downtown Los Angeles, April 5, 2025.

Los Angeles, California

Hands Off a nationwide protest of the Trump administration in Los Angeles. — Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

Thousands march during the “Hands Off!” protest of the Trump administration in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Los Angeles, California

The owners of a Tesla hold up a “Demusk America” sign, as protestors march past, during the “Hands Off!” rally in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Los Angeles, California

Thousands march in a “Hands Off!” protest from Pershing Square to City Hall, in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Chicago, Illinois

'Hands Off!' protesters rally against Trump in Chicago — Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Thousands gather in Chicago’s streets to protest President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s policies, joining more than 1,300 rallies across the U.S. on April 5, 2025.

Chicago, Illinois

Thousands gather in Chicago’s streets to protest President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s policies, joining more than 1,300 rallies across the U.S. on April 5, 2025.

Chicago, Illinois

Thousands gather in Chicago’s streets to protest President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s policies, joining more than 1,300 rallies across the U.S. on April 5, 2025.

Florence, Alabama

Participants gather at Wilson Park during a “Hands Off!” protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Florence, Ala.

Florence, Alabama

Participants gather at Wilson Park during a “Hands Off!” protest on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Florence, Ala.

Seattle, Washington

Demonstrators attend the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, at the Seattle Center on April 5, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle, Washington

Demonstrators attend the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, at the Seattle Center on April 5, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle, Washington

Demonstrators attend the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, at the Seattle Center, April 5, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Anchorage, Alaska

Demonstrators march during a rally against President Donald Trump, in Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday, April 5, 2025, as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest.

Paris, France

FRANCE-US-POLITICS-DEMO — THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters hold placards during a “Hands Off!” rally against President Trump’s administration and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Paris, April 5, 2025.

Berlin, Germany

Trump and Elon Musk protest outside the US Embassy in Berlin — Halil Sagirkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images

Protestors gather in front of the U.S. Embassy as they demonstrate against the President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Berlin, Germany, April 5, 2025.

Lisbon, Portugal

Protest Actions Against The Administration Led by US Republican President Donald Trump — Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images

U.S. residents in Lisbon hold placards while gathering in Praça do Comercio during a protest organized by American activists living in Portugal, April 5, 2025.

London, England

People Protest Against Donald Trump And Elon Musk In London — Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images

Demonstrators rally against President Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and their recent policies, in Trafalgar Square, London, April 5, 2025.

London, England

A demonstrator dressed as a dinosaur rallies against Tesla CEO Elon Musk outside Tesla’s Oxford Street store, April 5, 2025, in London.

London, England

Demonstrators rally against President Donald Trump and his recent policies in Trafalgar Square, London, April 5, 2025.

China Wants Countries to Unite Against Trump, but Is Met With Wariness

Beijing is using a mix of carrots and sticks to try to prevent other countries from siding with the United States in isolating China.

China’s leader gestures as he speaks at a table alongside other officials.

China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, and his subordinates are mounting a diplomatic full court press to try to persuade other countries not to cave to pressure from the Trump administration on tariffs, hoping to show that China will not be isolated in the trade war.

In recent days, China’s commerce minister has held a video call with the European Union’s top trade official, pushing for closer cooperation. Chinese diplomats have been contacting officials in Tokyo and Seoul. And Mr. Xi landed in Vietnam and Malaysia on state visits this week where he was greeted with carefully choreographed crowds of supporters.

US-China trade war is on: Could it turn violent, and when? | Responsible Statecraft

At stake for Mr. Xi are the fate of the global trading system that propelled China’s rise as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse, as well as access to markets for many Chinese exports now that the United States has sought to cut them off with debilitating tariffs.

The outreach is also a test of China’s status as a global power in the face of what Beijing sees as an effort by Washington to contain and suppress its key rival. China has fought back against the Trump administration with its own eye-watering tariffs on U.S. goods, as well as restrictions on the export of some rare earth minerals and magnets that are vital for assembling cars, missiles and drones.

To that end, Mr. Xi has tried to assemble a broader coalition to his side — hoping to keep countries from slapping tariffs of their own on Chinese products, or giving in to Washington’s demands to decouple from Chinese manufacturing.

Parking lots filled with white and black cars parked neatly. — New cars in Guangzhou this month.Credit…Qilai Shen for The New York Times

During his travels in Southeast Asia this week, he has depicted China as a leading defender of the global order and indirectly cast the United States as an unreliable player. In Hanoi, he urged Vietnam to join China in opposing “unilateral bullying.” In Kuala Lumpur, he urged Southeast Asian nations to also “reject decoupling, supply disruption,” and “tariff abuse.”

“Chinese officials have quietly conveyed that the way the U.S. treats its longstanding allies and partners in Europe is a sign of what’s to come for Southeast Asia,” said Lynn Kuok, the Lee Kuan Yew Chair at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “With Trump’s steep, sweeping tariffs across the region, that message needs no reinforcement.”

But Mr. Xi’s attempts at presenting China as a paragon of free trade and a champion of the rules-based international order ignores years of Beijing’s own coercive economic behavior and generous subsidies for select industries that have often alienated the country’s trading partners and neighbors. It partly explains why the world’s eroding trust in Washington has not immediately led to newfound alignment with Beijing — that, along with the risk of retribution from Mr. Trump for siding with China.

Already, the European Union, Japan and South Korea have pushed back at attempts by China to suggest that they had agreed with China to jointly fight back against Mr. Trump’s tariffs. European Union officials have instead emphasized their concerns about the dumping of Chinese goods in their market. Last week, Australia rejected a call by China’s ambassador, Xiao Qian, to “join hands” in rebuffing the Trump administration.

These reactions to China’s entreaties show that “Beijing is not filling the vacuum of trust left by the U.S., just offering immediate relief from the shock therapy the Trump administration has forced upon the world,” said Rorry Daniels, the managing director of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.

Mr. Xi’s long-planned trip to Vietnam this week, followed by a visit to Malaysia before a stop in Cambodia, has taken on more urgency for China now that President Trump is using his 90-day pause on his “Liberation Day” tariff hikes to press countries to negotiate trade deals with the United States. Mr. Trump, too, has shown urgency by inserting himself into trade negotiations on Wednesday with Japanese officials visiting Washington.

Beijing’s fear, analysts say, is that these deals will isolate China by including agreements that choke off Chinese exports. That could be through coordinated tariffs, or a crackdown on Chinese companies transshipping their goods through third countries like Vietnam to obscure their true origin, or by targeting Chinese raw materials in exports headed to the United States.

Vietnam lavished Mr. Xi with the rare honor of being greeted by a Vietnamese president on the airport tarmac when he arrived in the country on Monday. But Hanoi resisted agreeing with Mr. Xi’s boldest comments condemning protectionism, and ultimately signed onto a vague joint statement opposing “hegemonism and power politics” — an accusation that many in Vietnam assign to China during territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

For Vietnam, the threat of a 46 percent U.S. levy prompted teams of negotiators to head to Washington to make an appeal for lower tariffs. In a concession to Mr. Trump, the Vietnamese government this week promised to crack down on trade fraud — widely seen as a reference to companies shipping Chinese products through Vietnam to evade U.S. tariffs.

Still, Mr. Trump kept the pressure on Hanoi, telling reporters on Monday that Mr. Xi’s meeting with Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, was probably focused on how to “screw” America.

“Hanoi is being careful not to signal a tilt too far toward Beijing, especially in areas that could displease the Trump administration,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. “Ultimately, Hanoi is still hedging between the world’s two great powers. But as the geopolitical climate hardens, the space to do so is rapidly shrinking.”

Two men in suits with red ties walk past children waving little flags. — Mr. Xi with To Lam, Vietnam’s top leader, in Hanoi on Monday. Vietnam lavished Mr. Xi with pomp and circumstance during his state visit. Credit…Pool photo by Luong Thai Linh

Vietnam risks retaliation from its much bigger neighbor if Beijing determines that Hanoi is trying to curry favor with the Trump administration at China’s expense.

China placed tariffs of up to 100 percent on canola, pork and other foods from Canada last month in a clear warning to countries not to cooperate with Washington on trade.

To Beijing, if trading partners “pander to the United States, they will hurt China and at the same time, they will hurt their own country as well,” said Shen Dingli, a Shanghai-based international relations scholar.

That threat was reinforced on Sunday by Yuyuan Tantian, a blog affiliated with China’s state broadcaster, CCTV. China would not comment on talks between other countries and the United States, the post said. “But if anyone uses China’s interests as a token of allegiance to the United States, China will never agree!”

The warning underscores how Beijing has been both courting and confronting its neighbors as President Trump has been recalibrating Washington’s place in the world. Mr. Xi’s expression of “deep friendship” with Vietnam during his visit came not long after China held live-fire drills in the Gulf of Tonkin to reassert its territorial claims in those waters over Hanoi.

Even if China fails to build a united front against the Trump administration’s tariffs, it would still benefit from making other countries think twice about aligning their trade policies with the United States, said Jonathan Czin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who formerly worked in the Central Intelligence Agency and studies Chinese politics.

“Xi doesn’t necessarily need these countries to choose Beijing,” Mr. Czin said. “He just needs to prevent them from choosing Washington. That is part of why China’s ‘charm offensive’ has so far had such a dearth of charm.”

Republicans reconsider their commitment to tax cuts for the rich in Trump agenda bill

The unexpected debate has emerged as GOP lawmakers look for ways to pay for their massive budget bill and as the party’s electoral coalition shifts.

Scott Bessent, Donald Trump, and Andy Harris all with stern, sinister looks on their faces.

WASHINGTON — Republicans are discussing an idea that has long been anathema within the party: a tax hike on the wealthy.

In a twist, members of the GOP are debating whether to allow tax rates to go up on top earners when major parts of the 2017 tax law expire at the end of this year as part of a massive bill to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The issue has come up in private meetings among Senate Republicans as they grapple with how to limit the red ink and pay for other provisions of their party-line package, which includes additional funding for immigration enforcement and the military.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., confirmed that there has been “some” talk of higher tax rates for the wealthy in “free flowing” conference lunch meetings, saying he finds the conversation “interesting.”

“It’s just so fun to be a Republican these days, just to watch the transformation, where suddenly people are going — when you think about it, why do we worry so much about that?” Cramer said when he was asked whether he favors higher taxes on the wealthy.

“So whether it’s allowing them to go up a little bit or even lowering some of the other stuff more — there’s a populism growing in the party, even among those of us with powdered wigs,” he said.

The prospect of such a momentous shift is driven by a transforming electoral landscape, with Republicans attracting voters with lower incomes and without college degrees, while higher-income and college-educated Americans drift toward Democrats.

Voters earning $100,000 or more annually voted for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney by a 10-point margin in 2012, but they preferred Democrat Kamala Harris over Trump by 4 points in 2024, according to exit polls. Barack Obama won voters who made less than $50,000 per year by 22 points in 2012, while Trump carried them by 2 points last year.

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, kept the door open when he was asked whether he supports a higher top tax rate when the 37% level lapses to 39.6% after this year.

“I will listen to my colleagues. I haven’t made any decision,” Crapo told NBC News.

Steve Bannon, a senior White House official during Trump’s first term and an ardent MAGA enthusiast, espoused a populist perspective when it comes to taxation.

In an interview on another topic, Bannon, unprompted, touted higher taxes on the affluent. He said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., “needs to focus on actually cutting spending dramatically and raising taxes on the wealthy.”

At a town hall event in southeastern Iowa on Tuesday, longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was asked why Congress isn’t making billionaires pay more in taxes, a question that drew applause and cheers.

“This might surprise you that the list of possibilities we have on our working sheet that the members of the Finance Committee, and I’m a member of that committee, are going to discuss is raising from 37% to 39.6% in that very group of people you talk about,” Grassley replied.

But he added, “Now, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”

Indeed, it’s far from clear Republicans will coalesce around the idea, with some in the party voicing firm opposition. That high-ranking officials and lawmakers are considering it at all is a sea change for a party that has long been committed to reducing taxes on high earners. An article of faith within the GOP is that the wealthiest Americans help create jobs and help raise overall living standards en masse when they are burdened with less taxation.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, firmly rejected the idea of letting taxes go up on the highest earners when he was asked about the idea.

“I think it is a mistake to raise taxes, and I don’t believe Republicans are going to do that,” he said in an interview.\

Appearing Tuesday on Fox Business, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., criticized the idea of allowing a higher top tax rate.

“I don’t support that initiative,” he said.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he’s not sold on the idea of a higher top tax rate, saying such a move could hurt “businesses that end up paying business income on a personal tax return.”

Asked whether small businesses could get a carve-out in those instances, Cornyn said: “I don’t know. That’s an interesting question. I’m sure we can probably do anything we can agree to, but that would be my concern.”.

In Trump’s first term, cutting taxes for the wealthy was a nonnegotiable pursuit, one that Republicans took a political hit for when they passed the 2017 tax law.

Within Trump’s orbit, a split is evident between populists who want him to tax wealthier Americans and more traditional Republicans who believe across-the-board tax cuts are a formula for broader prosperity.

John McLaughlin, a Trump pollster, worries that unless Congress passes an extension of the first-term tax cuts, Republicans risk losing their majorities in the House and the Senate.

Visiting the White House last month, McLaughlin gave chief of staff Susie Wiles poll results showing strong support for extending the tax cuts. McLaughlin’s firm conducted the poll for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve had discussions with Susie Wiles that they need to get the tax cuts passed, because that’s how you defy the historic midterm losses,” McLaughlin said in an interview.

“The consequences of letting the Trump tax cuts lapse is the largest tax increase ever of over $4 trillion,” he continued. “If you don’t have a growing economy, it’s very difficult to win elections. And you saw both in Wisconsin and Florida that the Trump voters were staying home.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said a higher tax bracket for million-dollar earners has “been discussed.”

“I don’t know where that’ll land, but it’s something we would have to work closely with the House and with the White House on,” he said. “There’s a lot of stuff, a lot of proposals, flying around in the tax space. And in the end, we’ll have to find consensus, but the important thing is making sure that taxes don’t go up on the American people.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., didn’t endorse or reject a higher top rate, saying it’s a valid consideration given his belief in limiting the cost of the overall package.

“I do think that anywhere we have to create headroom for pay-fors, you got to look at it,” he said. “I’m not going to quote any numbers. I’m just saying at the end of the day, failure is not an option.”

Republicans say one way to square the idea of a higher top rate with the party’s long-standing opposition to tax hikes is to remember that on the first day of 2026, taxes will automatically go up.

“We’ve talked about a lot of different scenarios. That is one possibility,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said of a higher top tax rate. “The question is: Is it a tax hike or is it not a tax reduction?

Supreme Court avoids confronting Trump so far, even when it rules against him

The court has ruled both for and against Trump in his second term, but even the losses have given the administration fodder to continue harsh criticism of lower court judges.

WASHINGTON — When the Supreme Court last year wrestled with whether to grant then-former President Donald Trump broad immunity from prosecution, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch stressed the ruling did not just apply to Trump but was “for the ages.”

His comment during the April 2024 oral argument encapsulates how at least some members of the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, appear to view Trump, now in office again, as just another Republican president — even as commentators and lower court judges, both Republican and Democratic appointees, have raised the alarm about what they view as unlawful policies and conduct.

The Supreme Court ultimately ruled for Trump in the immunity case, a decision that bolstered his election campaign. Since his win, the willingness of the court to afford the Trump administration what lawyers call “the presumption of regularity” is reflected in its decisions in several high-profile cases.

So far, the court has acted on six emergency applications, addressing issues such as deporting immigrants without due process, firing government workers and reductions in government spending in which the Trump administration has sought to block lower court rulings.

It has ruled for Trump in half of them, although each decision has been nuanced. The court has not included any language rebuking the administration for its conduct, although liberal justices have done so in separate opinions.

How Trump’s second administration is faring at the Supreme Court

Leah Litman, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, said her view is that at least some conservative justices are influenced by the oft-repeated claim that liberal critics are blinded by “Trump derangement syndrome.”

“They are coming into these cases, irrespective of Trump, with this mindset of conservative grievance,” she said, expounding on the theme of her forthcoming book, “Lawless.”

The court’s assessment of the risk Trump poses “has been horribly off base,” she added.

Asked for comment on the administration’s record at the Supreme Court so far, a Justice Department spokesman said it is “equipped with brilliant and highly qualified attorneys to defend President Trump’s agenda and uphold the rule of law.”

The administration has claimed at least some form of victory even in cases it has lost, such as the 9-0 decision on Thursday that said the government has to “facilitate” the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador.

In doing so, the court also allowed a deadline for Abrego Garcia to be returned to U.S. to expire, and it also warned against unconstitutional impositions on the president’s power to conduct foreign policy.

The Justice Department’s public response was to say that the court had dealt a blow to “activist judges.” White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller echoed that view in a post on X, saying that the justices had “rejected the lower court.”

In the immediate aftermath of the decision, government lawyers have already objected to a district judge’s request for further information about what steps it is taking to retrieve Abrego Garcia

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