Trump istration after National Guard troops were sent to Los Angeles without his approval. The deployment happened during protests that broke out following a series of immigration related arrests in Los Angeles County. Over the weekend, clashes between protesters and police led to property damage and multiple arrests.
The protests started after large-scale immigration enforcement operations on Friday, which resulted in many arrests and sparked demonstrations throughout the weekend. While some protests stayed peaceful, others turned violent. In some cases, protesters burned vehicles and threw rocks at law enforcement. In San Francisco, a peaceful protest later became chaotic, leading to sixty arrests. In Los Angeles, police reported thirty-nine arrests during the demonstrations.
Per ordered around 2,000 National Guard troops to be deployed. This decision was made without consulting or requesting approval from Governor Newsom. The Trump istration defended the move, saying it was necessary to stop the growing violence and restore order. Officials also pointed out that some of those arrested in the operations were accused of serious crimes, including domestic abuse and child rape, as further reason for federal involvement.
Newsom to sue Trump over National Guard
Governor Newsom strongly criticized the deployment, calling it an illegal and unethical misuse of federal power. He argued that state and local law enforcement had the situation under control and that the President’s actions only made tensions worse. Newsom accused the President of deliberately trying to cause more chaos and violence. He also warned that this federal order could set a dangerous precedent, allowing the National Guard to be sent to any state without the Governor’s consent.
Newsom’s lawsuit will focus on the claim that the federal government unlawfully took control of the National Guard without the state’s permission. He says this action broke long-standing rules and traditions regarding how the National Guard should be used. Newsom is going all out against the deployment.
The Governor stressed that California did not need help from the National Guard and that the President’s decision was meant to provoke conflict. In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Newsom formally asked the federal government to cancel the deployment order.
Newsom wrote, “This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted. He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard. The order he signed doesn’t just apply to CA. It will allow him to go into ANY STATE and do the same thing.” He also mentioned speaking with President Trump for about forty minutes, though it is unclear whether this conversation happened before or after the deployment was announced.
The last time a president sent National Guard troops to a state without the Governor’s request was in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson deployed troops to Alabama to protect civil rights marchers.
Published: Jun 9, 2025 11:20 am