In a post on X, Newsom addressed the U.S.'s global trading partners, writing "California is here and ready to talk."
It comes after a Fox News report revealed that Newsom is directing his state to pursue "strategic" relationships with countries announcing retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., urging them to exclude California-made products from those taxes.
Can they even do this? What leverage does CA have here? Presumably any goods imported into the state would be subject to US tariffs because those are imposed at the Federal level, so it's not like Newsom can offer to exempt other countries imports from tariffs if they're bound for California.
Well, OK, in one sense he could, but he'd literally have to direct officials in California to defy US federal law, and possibly get into direct conflict with Federal agents operating in the state, right?
Assuming he's not going to do that, how does this play work? What does he offer in return for other countries exempting CA from their counter tariffs?
Also, how is this not a stepping stone towards an independent California? (I strongly suspect the answer to that last question is "it is, end of answer")