California Attorney General Rob Bonta Claims Trump Has Created ‘Bogus National Emergencies’ In Order To Impose Tariffs

During a press briefing on Wednesday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta discussed Trump's use of the IEEPA to impose tariffs.

Transcript

00:00It focuses specifically on tariffs unlawfully imposed by executive orders

00:05that claim authorization under what's known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.

00:13This is important because Trump claims this law is the reason he can impose these tariffs, and he is wrong.

00:22The truth is the IEEPA does not apply here.

00:26Trump has had to resort to creating bogus national emergencies that defy reason.

00:34He's even claimed there's an influx of illegal immigration and illicit drugs crossing over the Canadian border

00:39as the basis for imposing across-the-board tariffs on Canada.

00:44It is completely untrue.

00:47In actuality, less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal crossings actually come from Canada.

00:52The reality is the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse.

00:58It's Congress's responsibility to set and collect taxes, duties, and excises, including, yes, tariffs, not the President's.

01:08Congress hasn't authorized these tariffs, much less authorized imposing tariffs,

01:15only to increase them, then pause them, then imminently reinstate them on a whim,

01:20causing our nation and the global economy whiplash.

01:25Trump is attempting to override Congress and steamroll the separation of powers.

01:29That means he's trampling over his own party, by the way, which currently controls Congress.

01:37Again, Congress hasn't given him the authority to impose these sweeping and chaotic tariffs

01:41pursuant to emergency powers, which means he can't do it.

01:45Bottom line, Trump doesn't have the singular power to radically upend the country's economic landscape.

01:53That's not how our democracy works.

01:55Trump may claim these tariffs send a message to our international partners,

02:00but Americans are the ones shouldering the burden.