By Ben Meiselas
When a federal court blocks Trump’s illegal economic power grab twice in two days, it’s worth taking a moment. So I brought in a special guest to help break it all down: California Governor Gavin Newsom.
From the top, Governor Newsom said it best: “It’s raining tacos today.” And by tacos, yes, we mean Trump Always Chickens Out. These rulings—one from the U.S. Court of International Trade and another from Judge Contreras—didn’t just invalidate Trump’s reckless tariffs. They ripped the mask off his so-called “economic policy” and exposed it for what it really is: performative chaos that’s been devastating working families, small businesses, and our ports.
In our conversation, Governor Newsom reminded us that California was the first to sue Trump over these unlawful tariffs—and now the courts are saying exactly what was in their brief from day one. Families in California and across the country have felt the real cost of Trump’s ego-driven trade war: canceled shipments, layoffs, business closures, and even parents losing their homes.
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But here’s what should infuriate every American: Republican lawmakers know these tariffs are garbage. They hate them. Yet they say nothing. Total silence. Shameful complicity. The same Republicans who claim to be “pro-business” stood by as Trump torched supply chains and spiked prices on American families—all for a headline.
And now, Trump is melting down again. The markets are betting against him. The courts are striking him down. He’s lashing out at the Federal Reserve. And instead of admitting failure, he doubles down on stupid—just like Newsom said. That’s why the Financial Times coined the term “TACO trade”—because analysts know Trump always caves, and they’re making billions off his volatility.
Governor Newsom also dropped this truth bomb: the GOP’s disastrous budget was built on phantom tariff revenue that no longer exists if these court decisions are upheld. That means the only way they can make the math work is by gutting Medicaid, slashing SNAP, and screwing over millions of working Americans. As Newsom put it, “They’re balancing the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable.”
Bottom line: the fight isn’t over. But even with the administrative stay, these are major wins—for the Constitution, for small businesses, for families, and for sanity. And we’ll keep holding the line.
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Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep pushing back. Let’s keep shouting from the rooftops: Donald Trump is a TACO.
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