President Donald Trump announced Monday that the Justice Department planned to file a lawsuit against the state of California. The lawsuit targets Gov. Gavin Newsom’s attempt to create a new map of congressional districts.
“Well, I think I’m going to be filing a lawsuit pretty soon, and I think we’re going to be very successful in it,” Trump said when asked if there is a federal mechanism he’s planning to use to fight back against Newsom’s redistricting constitutional amendment. “We’re going to be filing it through the Department of Justice, that’s gonna happen.”
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Trump’s comments come after Republicans in California filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court. Their goal was to stop Newsom’s proposed plan to redraw the state’s voting districts.
However, California’s high court rejected the Republicans’ lawsuit, allowing Newsom’s plan to move forward.
Voters to decide in November
Last week, Newsom signed two redistricting bills, initiating a special election, which will take place in November to let voters decide whether to approve or reject the new congressional map.
If approved by voters, the measure could eliminate up to five Republican-held U.S. House seats in California, effectively offsetting the gains achieved through Texas’ recent redistricting efforts.
In response to hearing about the possible lawsuit, Newsom took to X, writing: “Bring it.”
Redistricting battles spread nationwide
The cross-country redistricting fight began when Trump requested that Texas redraw its congressional map to help the Republican Party keep its narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives after the November 2026 midterm elections. The president said he was hopeful Texas could gain five additional GOP seats in the U.S. House.
In response, Texas Democratic lawmakers temporarily left the state to block the redistricting vote by denying quorum, but returned weeks later, allowing the vote to take place. Then last week, Texas lawmakers approved a new map, redrawing the boundaries of the state’s congressional districts.
Hours after the Texas Senate passed a GOP-favored congressional map, a lawsuit was filed against Gov. Greg Abbott, alleging racial discrimination and unconstitutional mid-decade redistricting.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers in New York, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana are looking into similar efforts.
