In a significant legal ruling, a US appeals court has determined that President Donald Trump is authorized to maintain control of National Guard troops stationed in Los Angeles, amid local dissent and opposition from California's Governor Gavin Newsom. The decision, which allows approximately 4,000 National Guard troops to continue their deployment, arrives in the context of heightened protests surrounding the administration's immigration policies. Local leaders described the move as an aggressive provocation.
US Appeals Court Rules Trump Retains Control of LA National Guard
US Appeals Court Rules Trump Retains Control of LA National Guard
Controversial decision allows Trump to keep 4,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles amid immigration tensions.
The ruling from a three-judge panel stated that Trump acted within his rights when dispatching the troops to "protect federal personnel... [and] property." This conclusion overturned an earlier lower court ruling that criticized Trump's actions as illegal and mandated the return of control over the California National Guard to the state governor. Specifically, Judge Charles Breyer noted that Trump failed to adhere to established Congressional directives concerning the mobilization of National Guard units.
The appeals court found that the president’s failure to issue the federalization order through California’s governor, while problematic, did not entirely strip him of the legal authority to summon the National Guard. Following the verdict, Trump declared victory on social media, emphasizing the broader implications for federal authority in safeguarding cities throughout the country.
In contrast, Newsom condemned the court’s decision, upholding the principle that Trump's military use against citizens must face judicial scrutiny. He affirmed on social media that no individual, including the president, has the right to act above the law and reiterated the necessity of checks on military power directed towards civilians.
The court’s ruling facilitates the ongoing deployment of troops aimed at assisting federal immigration authorities amid high-profile raids in Los Angeles, perceived by many as exacerbating tensions in the community. Trump's controversial decision marks a rare instance of a president utilizing military resources in this manner since the civil rights era, raising concerns over the implications for state-federal relations and civil liberties moving forward.
The appeals court found that the president’s failure to issue the federalization order through California’s governor, while problematic, did not entirely strip him of the legal authority to summon the National Guard. Following the verdict, Trump declared victory on social media, emphasizing the broader implications for federal authority in safeguarding cities throughout the country.
In contrast, Newsom condemned the court’s decision, upholding the principle that Trump's military use against citizens must face judicial scrutiny. He affirmed on social media that no individual, including the president, has the right to act above the law and reiterated the necessity of checks on military power directed towards civilians.
The court’s ruling facilitates the ongoing deployment of troops aimed at assisting federal immigration authorities amid high-profile raids in Los Angeles, perceived by many as exacerbating tensions in the community. Trump's controversial decision marks a rare instance of a president utilizing military resources in this manner since the civil rights era, raising concerns over the implications for state-federal relations and civil liberties moving forward.
