US Court Lets Trump Retain Control of LA National Guard

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that former President Donald Trump acted within his legal authority when he deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials.
The decision, issued Thursday by a three-judge panel, overturned an earlier ruling by District Judge Charles Breyer, who had declared the move illegal.
Breyer had said Trump violated federal law by failing to properly coordinate with the state government, ordering him to return control of the California National Guard to the governor.
That ruling was temporarily paused to allow time for an appeal — which has now succeeded.
The appellate judges unanimously concluded that Trump did not exceed his powers, ruling that his decision to mobilize the National Guard to protect federal personnel and property during large-scale protests was constitutionally valid — even though he bypassed Governor Newsom in doing so.
“The president’s failure to issue the federalization order directly ‘through’ the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority,” the panel stated in its 38-page ruling.
However, they emphasized that presidential decisions involving the Guard are not completely shielded from judicial review.
Trump celebrated the outcome, calling it a “big win” on social media and asserting, “If our cities and people need protection, we’re the ones to give it to them.” He also praised the court, adding, “America is proud of you tonight!”
Governor Newsom, in response, criticized the ruling while highlighting what he sees as Trump’s overreach.
“The court rightly rejected Trump’s claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard,” he said. “Donald Trump is not a king and not above the law.”
The ruling means approximately 4,000 National Guard troops will remain deployed in Los Angeles, where they’ve been assisting federal immigration enforcement operations and protecting government property.
The Trump administration has claimed the deployment was necessary to secure Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during controversial immigration raids.
Trump also sent 700 Marines to the city at the time — a move Newsom also condemned.
This case marks one of the rare instances since the civil rights era that a U.S. president has deployed National Guard troops in a state without the governor’s consent.
US Court Lets Trump Retain Control of LA National Guard