On April 5, Axios reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Friday that he was negotiating agreements with other countries to ensure that California would be exempt from retaliatory tariffs amid Trump's escalating trade war. Newsom, who is seen as a potential candidate for U.S. president in 2028, is seeking to insulate California from the negative effects of the trade war. "Donald Trump's tariffs are not representative of all Americans, and I have instructed the California government to look for new opportunities to expand trade and remind our trading partners around the world that California remains a stable partner." Newsom said in a video released Friday. He called California "the backbone of the U.S. economy" and stressed California's commitment to maintaining "stable trade relations" with the world. Newsom wrote on Platform X (formerly Twitter) that California is "ready to talk to global trading partners." He also said California is not afraid to use itself