Dem attorneys general prepare for legal battle with Trump after filing hundreds of challenges last term
Roughly half the country is represented by Democratic attorneys general, and a significant number seem ready to confront President-elect Donald Trump, just as many did during his first term.
Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia and Northern Marianas Islands have Democrats as their top law enforcement officers, and many have positioned themselves as a line of defense against a Trump administration.
The most prolific state-government-litigant last term was Washington Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson, who as attorney general filed or was party to suits against the Trump administration 99 times. He lost three times.
He litigated the Muslim "travel ban," and has expressed concern about Trump-era changes to abortion, immigration and LGBTQ policy.
NJ GOV SAYS HE'LL ‘FIGHT TO THE DEATH' AGAINST CERTAIN TRUMP ACTIONS
Fox News Digital reached out to Ferguson, but he told the Washington Standard the state has been working "for many months … to prepare for this."
Ferguson’s team reportedly read the Heritage Foundation’s entire 900-page Project 2025 publication and prepared successor Attorney General-elect Nick Brown to continue his work.
"Obviously, Trump’s [first] administration turned out to be a train wreck for our country and his efforts to trample on the rights of Americans and Washingtonians on our environment, reproductive freedom; the list goes on," Ferguson told Democracy Docket in October.
Brown told Fox News Digital he pledged to "enforce and defend our laws, stand up for our values and protect our communities: And I intend to fully honor that commitment."
"I have no interest in needlessly creating or seeking out conflict with the incoming Trump administration," Brown said.
"But if they take actions that violate our laws or harm our people, I am ready and willing to use all available legal options to protect the residents of Washington State from such unwanted intrusions."
NEWSOM TO ‘TRUMP-PROOF' CALIFORNIA
Ferguson said a lot of Trump’s actions may be legal and "no one will be more happy than me" if Olympia never goes to court again.
In New Jersey, then-Attorney General Gurbir Grewal participated in dozens of suits against the first Trump administration, and Gov. Phil Murphy said while he hopes to find common ground with Trump, he will "fight to the death" to defend Jersey values.
Current New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin told Fox News Digital the election was fair and that Trenton will respect the democratic process that put Trump in the White House.
"As the president, he has the right to implement the policy agenda that he sees fit for the country. What he does not have the right to do is to violate the laws of this nation [or] this state…" Platkin said, citing a focus on gun safety, health care, the environment and immigration issues.
"I do not wake up every day dying to sue the president of the United States, but I also will not hesitate to do so when it’s in the best interests of our residents."
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been preparing for another Trump administration as his office also reportedly observes the behavior of Trump’s circle.
"President Trump has made no secret of his agenda for his second term. We’re taking him at his word when he tells us what he plans to do: whether that be rolling back environmental protections, threatening immigrant and civil rights, or restricting access to essential reproductive care," Bonta said.
"Fortunately, and unfortunately, we have four years of ‘Trump-1.0’ under our belts. We know what to expect, and we won’t be caught flat-footed: What happens next is up to the president-elect. If he doesn’t violate the law, and we hope he won’t, we won’t need to take action.
"But based on our experience with the first Trump administration and the president-elect’s own words, we expect that won’t be the case…"
In Delaware, Attorney General Kathy Jennings made opposing Trump key to her 2018 campaign.
"Donald Trump threatens our civil rights. He undermines the rule of law," Jennings said in an ad. "As attorney general, I'll stand up to Donald Trump when his agenda hurts Delaware."
Fox News Digital reached out to Jennings, who previously challenged Trump’s child migrant detention system.
Wisconsin was party to several lawsuits in Trump’s first term, and Attorney General Josh Kaul signaled he's "prepared to defend the rights of Wisconsinites if necessary."
"Let me say if the new administration infringes upon the freedoms of Wisconsinites or attempts to use our system of justice as a tool for vengeance, we will act," he said recently.
In Connecticut, Attorney General William Tong is coordinating with other attorneys general.
"I’m sad to say we are here again. But we went through this the first time with the Muslim ban and the border wall, and we are even more ready now," he said, according to WSHU.
"[W]hen they attack the American-born children of immigrants, and they talk about denying birthright citizenship, they are talking about me," said Tong.
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Then-Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin succeeded in blocking Trump’s "travel ban," crediting the Aloha State as the first to launch litigation. Fox News Digital reached out to successor Anne Lopez regarding her stance toward Trump.
Fox also sought comment from the most high-profile of attorney-general-litigants. New York's Letitia James pledged to be a "real pain in the a--" and led a $450 million fraud case against Trump.
She did not respond, but recently said she’s ready to "fight back again."
The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment, but the president-elect did recently say of James, "she’s got serious Trump Derangement Syndrome."