President Donald Trump signed a resolution Thursday aimed at halting California’s ambitious plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, escalating a high-stakes legal and political standoff with Governor Gavin Newsom.
The resolution, approved by Congress last month, rolls back California’s authority to enforce a range of zero-emission vehicle mandates — including targets for commercial trucks and stricter diesel engine standards — using the rarely applied Congressional Review Act. The act allows Congress, with the president’s signature, to overturn recent federal regulations by a simple majority.
“We officially rescue the U.S. auto industry from destruction by terminating California’s electric vehicle mandate once and for all,” Trump said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office. “The radical environmental agenda from California won’t dictate how Americans drive.”
Trump took direct aim at Newsom, referring to him mockingly as “Governor Gavin Newscum” while accusing the state of pushing an “anti-car” agenda that would hurt jobs and consumer choice.
A Legal and Constitutional Dispute
California’s rules were not technically federal regulations but were approved through waivers granted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act. That distinction could make them immune from repeal under the Congressional Review Act, according to Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough.
Despite that, the Trump administration, backed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, argued the rules have broad national impact and should be subject to congressional oversight.
Governor Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed legal action, saying the president is overreaching his authority.
“This is not just about California,” Bonta said at a press conference in Sacramento last month. “This is about whether states have the right to protect public health and our planet when the federal government won’t.”
California is expected to challenge the resolution in federal court, setting up a potentially precedent-setting legal battle over states' environmental authority.
Backdrop of Civil Unrest
The political feud is also playing out against the backdrop of civil unrest in Los Angeles, where anti-ICE protests turned violent over the weekend. Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to the city without Newsom’s consent has further fueled tensions. In response, California filed suit against both Trump and the Department of Defense, calling the move an illegal use of federal force on state soil.
Newsom has accused the administration of using the unrest as a pretext to undercut California’s sovereignty.
“President Trump’s actions are not about law and order,” Newsom said earlier this week. “They’re about control.”
What's Next
Legal analysts expect the courts to weigh in swiftly, especially given the constitutional questions surrounding states’ rights, environmental policy, and federal intervention in state governance.
Meanwhile, the auto industry remains divided. Some automakers welcomed the rollback, citing regulatory consistency across states. Others, already investing heavily in electric vehicle technology, expressed concern that policy whiplash could hurt long-term planning.
