Minnesota AG joins other states in suing the Trump administration
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is joining other states in suing the Trump administration over a number of his executive orders.
The lawsuits include a challenge to ending birthright citizenship, another argues against a federal funding freeze, another challenges a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and another challenges the National Institute of Health cuts. Two other suits challenge the Department of Government Efficiency and Elon Musk's actions.
Some if not all of these lawsuits are expected to eventually end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which now has three justices who were appointed by Mr. Trump during his first term.
Esme Murphy asked Ellison about the chances he would prevail on any of the issues. He was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
"I see us winning. I think that the 10th Amendment of the Constitution says that Minnesota gets to write Minnesota laws," Ellison said. "We have federalism in the United States and the federal government cannot say we're going to make you do it our way."
Attorney General Pam Bondi has threatened to sue Minnesota if the state does not follow Mr. Trump's orders.
Ellison has won some lower court rounds. In the latest one, a federal judge temporarily blocked Mr. Trump's order banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people. Minnesota was one of four states that sued to challenge those orders.
"It is wrong morally to persecute a minority group like the transgender community. I think it's wrong but it's bigger than that because what they are trying to do is tell us how to run Minnesota from Washington," Ellison said.
Some of the Ellison lawsuits, like the one against NIH cuts, have as many as 22 states joining in. In 2025 already, the NIH has allocated more than $71 million in grants to Minnesota. That includes $37 million to the University of Minnesota and $29 million to the Mayo Clinic.
"The Constitution allows the Congress to have the power of the purse. Trump just says 'no, I don't want it to go there. I don't care what Congress voted on, it's going to go my way.' And the law says no. There are laws and you can't just do that," he said.
Ellison says he is ready to file more lawsuits if needed.
The Trump administration has sued the state of New York over a law allowing undocumented residents to get driver's licenses. Minnesota has an identical law.
While Ellison left Congress to run successfully for attorney general in 2018, he says he is now considering joining a long list of those possibly running for U.S. Senate in 2026.
There is no word yet on when he will make a final decision.
