Judge dismisses California's lawsuit over Trump tariffs, citing jurisdiction issue
The ruling — separate from a pair of high-profile rulings in other courts last week — partially sides with the Trump administration, which argued the case belongs in the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade rather than the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier filed their case.
But Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley dismissed the case outright rather than immediately transfer it to the trade court, as Trump's attorneys had requested. By doing so, she granted the state's request to leave a path open for California to appeal the ruling to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, a famously liberal-leaning bench.
Still, Scott Corley's decision is a blow to California officials who had hoped the district court would rule on the legality of Trump's unilateral tariffs. Last week, a D.C. District Court judge went the opposite direction and invalidated Trump's tariffs, ruling in favor of two toy-import companies. The trade court also struck down Trump's tariffs last week, although his taxes on imports have largely been left in place while federal litigation plays out.
Scott Corley's ruling against California was expected. She had previously signaled that her San Francisco court likely didn't have jurisdiction in the case, noting the trade court has authority over tariff cases — which was designed to prevent a patchwork of tariffs rulings in federal district courts.
California in April became the first state to sue Trump over his so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs, claiming the president has no authority to unilaterally tax imports under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump has invoked tariffs without congressional approval by claiming the country faces a national emergency due to its trade deficits with other countries.
Representatives for Newsom and Bonta didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
While Scott Corley's ruling is a setback for the state, California officials joined Democratic leaders across the country last week in celebrating the pair of federal court rulings that determined Trump had overstepped his executive powers.
'It's raining tacos today,' Newsom said on the MeidasTouch Podcast on Thursday, an apparent reference to the TACO acronym that Wall Street investors have used to refer to whiplash over Trump's see-sawing import taxes. The president has bristled at the name, which stands for 'Trump always chickens out.'
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UPI
13 minutes ago
- UPI
7 European leaders to join Zelensky in White House meeting Monday
1 of 2 | European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Sunday. Photo by Olivier Hoslety/EPA Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Seven European leaders will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday in a bid to end the war against Russia. Zelensky and Trump announced the meeting on Saturday. On Sunday, it was disclosed they will be joined by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Zelensky last saw Trump in the White House on Feb. 23. During the contentious meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War III" and being "disrespectful" to the United States. Plans for a cease-fire and a news conference were called off. Two months later, the two leaders met amicably when they went to the funeral for Pope Franic at the Vatican on April 26. Zelensky and von der Leyen met in Brussel, Belgium, on Sunday, joining a "coalition of willing," who are Ukraine's main European allies, in a video conference. European leaders on Saturday signed a joint statement that, "as President Trump said, 'there's no deal until there's a deal.' As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks, including President Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon." In addition to the attendee's of Monday's meeting in Washington, the statement was signed by European Council President Antonio Costa and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The leaders of the Nordic-Baltic Eight -- Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden -- said in a statement that there should be "no decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine and no decisions on Europe without Europe." Trump posted Sunday morning on Truth Social "BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED." Minutes earlier, he also criticized the media in two posts, writing that "if I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal. That's why they are the FAKE NEWS! Also, they should talk about the 6 WARS, etc., I JUST STOPPED!!! MAGA." Earlier, he wrote that "it's incredible how the Fake News violently distorts the TRUTH when it comes to me. There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden's stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!" It had been more than 24 hours since he posted about the war in Ukraine. After speaking with Zelensky and European leaders following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, he wrote that "it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up." This stance shifted to an end to the 3 1/2-year-old war that began with Russia's invasion of the sovereign nation. Zelensky was not invited to the summit with the two leaders. CNN reported Trump told the Europeans he wants a summit among himself, Putin and Zelensky on Friday if talks go well on Monday with Ukraine's leader. Information from Putin and Trump has been light on details. They spoke to reporters for a total of 12 minutes and took no questions on Friday. They didn't mention whether Russia or Ukraine will give up land acquired during the war. The three-on-three meeting included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also is Trump's national security adviser, as well as Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff. "The point was that we began to see some moderation in the way they're thinking about getting to a final peace deal," Witkoff said in an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN's State of the Union. "We made so much progress at this meeting with regard to all the other ingredients necessary for a peace deal that we, that President Trump pivoted to that place." Putin spoke about "land swaps" during the meeting, Witkoff said. Witkoff said that Putin discussed land swaps during their meeting, but did not go into specifics beyond that Putin now suggesting swaps occur at the current front lines rather than the administrative boundaries of at least some of the regions. "The Russians made some concessions at the table with regard to all five of those regions," Witkoff said. "Hopefully, we can cut through and make some decisions right then and there." The Trump administration has said it is up to Zelensky to accept a deal, and noted that Zelensky has opposed land swaps. Trump told the European leaders that Putin insists Ukraine allow Russia to totally control the Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine where intense fighting has taken place since 2022, two sources told The New York Times. In exchange, he would freeze the current front lines elsewhere in Ukraine -- the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia -- and promised not to attack Ukraine again or other European nation. Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk, which represents 30% of the eastern region. Russia had partially seized the Donbas in 2014 when the nation annexed the Crimean peninsula and captured key areas of the region in 2022. Witkoff also said Putin agreed to allow a collective defense provision for Ukraine in a peace deal. For the first time, Witkoff said Putin offered a version of NATO's Article 5 provision -- that the groups members will come to the defense of an ally under attack -- with Ukraine, but without involvement from NATO. "We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee," Witkoff said on CNN. "Putin has said that a red flag is NATO admission," Witkoff said. And so what we were discussing was assuming that that held, assuming that the Ukrainians could agree to that and could live with that - and everything is going to be about what the Ukrainians can live with - but assuming they could, we were able to win the following concession that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection." Putin hasn't spoken directly about aspects of a possible peace deal. Zelensky thanked the European nations' support since the beginning of the war in February 2025, and said "sanctions show we are serious." "We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the front line is now," Zelensky said at a news conference with the EU's von der Leyen. "The contact line is the best line for talking [...] Russia is still unsuccessful in Donetsk region. Putin has been unable to take it for 12 years, and the Constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to give up territory or trade land. "Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia and the trilateral Ukraine-United States-Russia. So far, Russia gives no sign that trilateral will happen, and if Russia refuses, then new sanctions must follow." Zelensky said he wanted more clarity on the "security guarantees" from Trump. Unlike Trump, Zelensky has urged a ceasefire before a peace deal. "First we have to stop the killings," Zelensky said. "Putin has many demands, but we do not know all of them, and if there are really as many as we heard, then it will take time to go through them all. "It's impossible to do this under the pressure of weapons. So it's necessary to cease-fire and work quickly on a final deal. We'll talk about it in Washington. Putin does not want to stop the killing, but he must do it," the Ukrainian president said. Von der Leyen, noting Ukraine must become a "steel porcupine, undigestible for potential invaders," said there must be no limitations on Ukraine's military. "We must have strong security guarantees to protect both Ukraine and Europe's vital security interests. Ukraine must be able to uphold its sovereignty and its territorial integrity," she said. Situation in Ukraine Russia continued aerial attacks overnight with five people dead and at least 11 injured in Ukraine's Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions, local authorities said. Russia launched 60 long-range drones and one ballistic missile, according to Ukraine's Air Force, as 40 other drones were downed by Ukrainian defenses. Russia's Ministry of Defense said 46 drones were intercepted from Ukraine. One person was injured in Russia's Voronzh region from debris, the local governor said. In central Kyiv at a market, the BBC reported few people were hopeful about the meeting on Monday. "The signs don't tell us about good expectations for tomorrow," said 35-year-old Iryna Levchuk while picking fruit and with her dog Susy, rescued from the frontline city of Kherson. Regarding a land swap, Dmitril said: "This won't work -- none of this will work. You've got to explain to the people that they need to negotiate with the terrorists."
New York Post
14 minutes ago
- New York Post
More than 700 National Guard troops from 3 GOP-led states will be deployed to DC to bolster Trump crackdown
Three Republican-led states will be deploying hundreds of National Guard members to Washington, DC, to bolster President Trump's crackdown on crime and homelessness in the nation's capital. West Virginia will be sending up to 400 troops, South Carolina has pledged 200 and Ohio will dispatch 150 in the coming days, the three states announced on Saturday. 'We stand ready to support our partners in the National Capital Region and contribute to the collective effort of making our nation's capital a clean and safe environment,' Maj. Gen. Jim Seward of the West Virginia National Guard said. The Mountain State's governor, Patrick Morrisey, added: 'West Virginia is proud to stand with President Trump in his effort to restore pride and beauty to our nation's capital,' adding that the mission 'reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America.' Three Republican-run states are sending an additional 750 National Guard personnel to Washington DC. AP South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced the deployment of 200 National Guard personnel from the Palmetto State to DC, but said the troops could be recalled in the event of a major national disaster such as a hurricane. He said the deployment was part of Trump's efforts to restore law and order in Washington, and in response to a request from the National Guard Bureau at the Pentagon. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, meanwhile, said he was sending 150 military police officers to support the DC National Guard. It follows protests in the capital on Saturday. Getty Images 'These Ohio National Guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security,' he said in a statement. None of the members — who are expected to arrive in DC within the coming days — are currently serving as law enforcement officers within the Buckeye State, DeWine said. The deployments of 750 troops from the three states would bring the total number of National Guard personnel within the capital to over 1,450. So far, National Guard members have played a limited role in the federal intervention. Troops have been spotted patrolling landmarks such as the National Mall and Union Station, as well as assisting law enforcement with tasks such as crowd control. With Post wires
New York Post
14 minutes ago
- New York Post
NY Dems aim to de-mask ICE agents to scare them off their raids — NOT to protect the public
Supporters claim a bill introduced by Democratic state lawmakers last month banning ICE agents and police from wearing masks during raids will ensure safety and prevent authoritarianism. One backer, Sen. Patricia Fahy, fumes that ICE is 'operating like masked militias' and 'paramilitary secret police' and so must be reined in. Nonsense: The awkwardly and misleadingly named Mandating End to Lawless Tactics Act is actually little more than an attempt to thwart immigration enforcement by making ICE agents fear for their personal safety. It joins similar efforts in other states and in Congress to 'unmask ICE.' In the words of GOP Sen. George Borrello, 'This bill is driven by ideology, not a genuine concern for public safety.' The Left's hypocrisy on this issue is staggering. Progressives — including many of the MELT Act's supporters in the Legislature — have opposed mask bans for criminal suspects and rioters, such as Nassau County's common-sense ban, which has exceptions for law enforcement. Yet for all their sympathy for those involved with the criminal-justice system, they have no qualms about painting cops as criminals and subjecting them to mask bans. If these lawmakers truly cared about public safety, they'd go after the rioters and real criminals who've routinely hidden their identities to evade accountability following the 2020 George Floyd unrest and Oct. 7 demonstrations. ICE and other law enforcement don't mask up because they have machinations of becoming a 'paramilitary secret police.' They do so to keep themselves and their families safe from multinational gangs such as Tren de Aragua. Facial-recognition technology, now rapidly improving due to AI, gives anyone — including nefarious actors like Antifa or cartel members — the ability to reverse image search the unmasked face of an ICE agent. They can then obtain and post their names, addresses and information about their relatives to social media. While the Justice Department can prosecute those responsible for such doxxing, it is nonetheless a frequent threat to agents and loved ones. Addresses of hotels where agents stay during operations are routinely spread on social media so that protesters can harass them. Agitators are so well-organized that an app was created to report and rush to ICE raid locations, as seen in Los Angeles riots this year. The Department of Homeland Security has reported an 830% increase in assaults on ICE personnel this year, attributed to an increase in doxxing and rhetoric against agents. Worse still, even if the MELT Act passes, its effects would be largely symbolic. Lawmakers like Fahy clearly don't understand federalism. Because the Constitution gives federal law precedence, any federal regulation would immediately supersede the MELT Act if passed, rendering it largely symbolic. Additionally, federal agents are immune from state criminal prosecution when acting within the scope of their authority. The MELT Act would also require that all law enforcement agents display their names or badge numbers on their uniforms, hamstringing the plainclothes units of local New York police departments, which now must only provide this information verbally. Some of the bill's supporters mention a more realistic point that masking without wearing identification might allow for easier impersonation of ICE officers. They might also argue that a lack of masking deters possible police misconduct, despite the widespread use of body cameras. Those are valid concerns. But there are ways to protect the public even with masked law enforcement. Public-education campaigns should remind residents that ICE agents and other law enforcement are legally required to identify themselves as police as soon as it is practicable and safe to do so. New Yorkers under arrest should keep in mind their constitutional protections, such as the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Masked or not, imposters can still pose as ICE or any other law-enforcement officers. Requiring names or badge numbers does nothing if there's no reliable way to immediately verify the person's legitimacy. The answer isn't a largely symbolic law to neuter real agents; it's to strengthen identification through local cooperation. The only way to fully reassure New Yorkers is cooperation between local police and ICE, whether via collaborative task forces, such as through the federal 287(g) program already adopted by several counties, or by having nearby officers accompany raids to keep public order, which would help quickly debunk any imposters. This type of public partnership would not be a political statement about immigration, rather a commonsense way to put the public at ease and ensure all involved in raids are safe. The MELT Act is symbolic theater that punishes law enforcement while doing nothing to realistically stop imposters. New Yorkers would be safer if lawmakers scrapped this bill and instead fostered real cooperation between local police and ICE to deter fraud and protect both the public and the agents doing dangerous work. Paul Dreyer is a cities policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute.
