California AG Rob Bonta: Trump Illegally Used Emergencies for Tariffs

Trump's Unlawful Tariff Imposition

• ⚖️ California Attorney General Rob Bonta asserts that Donald Trump unlawfully imposed tariffs by executive order, claiming authorization under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
• 💡 Bonta argues that the IEEPA does not apply to these tariffs, and Trump has resorted to creating "bogus national emergencies" to justify them.

False Justifications for Tariffs

• 🚨 Trump cited influxes of illegal immigration and illicit drugs from Canada as a basis for across-the-board tariffs on Canada, a claim Bonta refutes, stating less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal crossings originate from Canada.

Constitutional Powers and Separation of Powers

• 🏛️ The US Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, making it Congress's responsibility to set and collect taxes and duties, not the President's.
• 📉 Congress has not authorized these tariffs, nor has it authorized the pattern of increasing, pausing, and reinstating them on a whim, causing economic whiplash.
• 💥 Trump is accused of attempting to override Congress and trample the separation of powers, even against his own party which controls Congress.

Economic Impact and Burden

• 💸 While Trump may claim the tariffs send a message to international partners, Americans are the ones shouldering the economic burden.
• 🚫 Bonta concludes that Trump lacks the singular power to radically upend the country's economic landscape through such means, as it contradicts democratic principles.