'Crony Capitalism'_ Gavin Newsom Blasts Trump's Tariffs, 'The Personification Of Corruption'

Forbes Breaking News

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) discussed his administration's lawsuit against President Trump's tariffs.

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00:00I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit more about the response you've gotten from

00:04his work with leaders that you have to share.

00:06Well, we have great relationships, not good relationships, great relationships.

00:10You've seen they've shared, not just me, some of the recent meetings we've had with the

00:16ambassador to Germany, ambassador to UK, to the premier just 48 hours ago, the premier

00:24of British Columbia.

00:27Those are just three recent examples.

00:29That doesn't even include all the other private conversations I've had that we're respecting

00:33the privacy.

00:34All the outreach, the MOUs that people are looking to see if we can update the relationships

00:40they're trying to maintain.

00:42And the imperative, they want to know that we're a stable partner.

00:45They want to know we're not going to turn their back as this administration's turned

00:49their back on our allies.

00:51And they want to know that we're going to continue to have their back as it relates

00:58to addressing the anxiety and uncertainty, particularly as it relates to their making a case.

01:04And I find this interesting, making a case that we don't even need to make, but they're making,

01:12that California is not this administration in terms of policy in context of retaliatory tariffs.

01:22Now, I have no authority in terms of international trade.

01:25I recognize the limitations.

01:27That said, during the Governor's Office of Business, we created an international arm.

01:31We've been very proactive, very aggressive.

01:33Lieutenant Governor has been a leader and point person in that respect.

01:37And so we're building on that work and we're building on those relationships.

01:40And we have lined up many, many subsequent meetings.

01:45And I think the visit California announcement we made 48 hours ago is indicative of the kind

01:51of proactive work we'll be doing to reach out to our trading partners and make the case that

01:56California has their back and we want them back visiting the state.

02:01We want them continuing to trade with the state.

02:03We want to continue to maintain our dominance.

02:06By the way, I haven't even brought up the port of L.A., the port of Long Beach, and the

02:10fact that 40 percent of the goods movement in this country comes through those two ports.

02:14I haven't even brought up the pizza shops and the coffee shops that are disproportionately

02:18dependent on that trade every single day.

02:21I mean, this is not even complicated.

02:24The impacts of small businesses that cannot pass along these increased costs that are losing

02:29customers, the impacts, and I want to speak for Chris and others, but the impacts already

02:35on the lack of investment.

02:38Any business person, small or large, uncertainty is the number one enemy.

02:44Just give us certainty.

02:46The one certainty that is the only certainty we have is uncertainty.

02:53That literally on a whim, day-to-day, hour-to-hour phone call from a donor to a phone call from

03:03another donor that they will be a waiver, there will be an exemption.

03:13I mean, from free capitalism to crony capitalism, just like that.

03:20Corruption?

03:21Corruption?

03:22This is the personification of corruption.

03:25I appreciate the press.

03:26You chase this for a living.

03:29This is smash-mouth in your face.

03:33Every minute of every day, every hour, and you know it.

03:37You've seen it.

03:39How in the hell are we sitting by and allowing this to happen?

03:44So, again, that's the why, and that's what we are pushing back against in this lawsuit.

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