The Donald Trump administration has sued the state of California, led by Governor Gavin Newsom (D), over the latter’s emissions goals.
State Specific Mileage Requirements
In an official statement, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said the administration was suing the California government for “imposing an illegal electric vehicle (EV) mandate” on the automotive industry.
The agency added that the government was doing so by enacting “state-specific mileage requirements,” adding that Federal law prohibited individual states from adopting emissions norms.
“I was proud to stand alongside President Trump to unveil our plan to eliminate the Biden-Buttigieg EV mandate,” Duffy said in the statement, adding that Newsom was “determined” to the “Democrat’s radical EV fantasy.”
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He also took to the social media platform X on Thursday to slam Newsom. “The Trump Administration WILL hold California accountable for OUTRAGEOUS attempts to push an ILLEGAL EV mandate onto Americans,” he said, quoting a post from the Department of Justice. He added that the administration will “deliver” on the promise of affordable cars to Americans.
The Trump Administration WILL hold California accountable for OUTRAGEOUS attempts to push an ILLEGAL EV mandate onto Americans 🚙⛽️@TheJusticeDept @USDOT@POTUS understands that FREEDOM means AFFORDABLE CARS and @USDOT will DELIVER for the people of this GREAT country 🇺🇸 https://t.co/Gfpi2PTfiT
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) March 12, 2026
Department Of Justice, NHTSA Criticize California
Meanwhile, the DOJ, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, also criticized the California government. “Oppressive, expensive electric vehicle mandates drive up costs for American consumers and violate federal law,” she said in the statement released by the department on Thursday.
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On the other hand, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison also hailed the lawsuit. “This litigation will help automakers design and produce cars and trucks to meet one federal fuel economy regulation,” he said, adding that the previous Barack Obama and Joe Biden administrations were mistaken to “enable California to set its own backdoor fuel economy policies.”
California’s EV Push
The news comes as California has been bullish on all-electric mobility. Newsom had earlier outlined a $200 million EV incentive program targeting first-time EV buyers as a point-of-sale rebate. The program required automakers participating in the program to match the incentive amount offered to customers.
California had also surpassed 2.5 million EV sales since Newsom took office in 2019 and highlighted a 300% surge in EV adoption in the state since 2019. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) had also hailed Canada’s deal with China that would see 49,000 EVs enter the country at a reduced tariff rate.
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Trump’s Anti-EV Stance
Trump’s anti-EV stance was outlined by the White House, which earlier announced a relaxation of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The move was hailed by Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley.
Trump also doubled down on his criticism of pro-EV policies by the previous Biden administration, calling the admin’s CAFE standards “ridiculous” and criticizing Biden’s “war” on internal combustion engines. Duffy, on the other hand, had said that there was a “backdoor EV mandate” in the U.S., while also touting affordability due to Trump’s policies.
Iran War Leads To Gas Price Surge
However, gasoline prices in the U.S. have risen. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) slammed the conflict in Iran, adding that the war would hit Americans hard at the pump.
Rising gas prices have also affected drivers on the Uber Technologies Inc. and the Lyft Inc. platforms, with gasoline owners reporting that they were rationing trips to save on fuel costs.
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This article Trump Administration Sues Gavin Newsom’s California Over Emissions Goals, Sean Duffy Decries ‘Illegal EV Mandate’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com