Gov. Gavin Newsom of California is trying to get around President Trump’s tariffs to protect trade in a state with the world’s fifth-largest economy, asking his administration on Friday to pursue new international trade deals to exempt California products from any retaliatory tariffs.
Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, called on foreign governments to exclude items made in California from any actions they take in response to the tariffs Mr. Trump announced this week.
“Donald Trump’s tariffs do not represent all Americans, particularly those I represent here in the fifth largest economy in the world, the state of California,” Mr. Newsom said in a video announcement. “California is a stable trading partner and we hope you remember that as you consider California-made products.”
California is the nation’s largest agricultural producer and home to the most Fortune 500 companies in the country. It exported $23.6 billion in agricultural products in 2022, with almonds, dairy products, pistachios, wine and walnuts making up the top exports.
The Newsom administration also fears that retaliatory tariffs from countries that provide construction supplies, including timber, steel and aluminum, could hamper rebuilding in Los Angeles after January’s devastating wildfires.
Mr. Newsom announced the plan early Friday in a news release and a brief video that did not dive into the details about how California’s separate trade deals might work. He sent a similar announcement to the email list he uses for political fund-raising. “The trade war that Donald Trump has launched is going to be felt in pretty profound ways to real people, including those who voted for Donald Trump and are now being betrayed by this very administration,” the email read.