Trump Illegally Seized Control of the California National Guard and Deployed 4,200 Troops to Los Angeles
NEWS & RESEARCH
President Trump seized controlled of the California National Guard and deployed more than 4,200 troops to Los Angeles, as well as 700 Marines, over the protests of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Certain DHS officials seemed to encourage the Guard to use violence, with one writing in an email that troops should have “just started hitting” protesters. The forces were withdrawn in December 2025 following two key legal defeats for the administration: a lower court judge ruled in favor of California officials seeking to end the LA operation, and the Supreme Court rejected Trump's separate attempt to deploy troops to Chicago.
SOURCES: The Guardian| NPR | Politico | Los Angeles Times
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Judge Charles Breyer wrote that the administration’s attempt to indefinitely keep California’s National Guard under federal control was “shocking” executive overreach and presidential coercion and would “permit a president to create a perpetual police force comprised of state troops.” Stanford Law Professor Bernadette Meyler described the rhetoric around the LA deployment, as well as to other cities, as clearly “aimed at Democratic-leaning cities viewed as ‘harboring’ undocumented immigrants.” ACLU National Security Project director Hina Shamsi told NPR that the LA troop deployment was “a dangerous abuse of power,” that was “putting Americans in danger.”
SOURCES: NPR | Stanford Legal | NPR
HOW TO FIX IT
Federal action:
Pass the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America's Streets Act, which would limit the deployment of federal officers or armed forces to a city unless the aid is requested by both the mayor and governor.
Reintroduce and pass the Curtailing Insurrection Act Violations of Individuals' Liberties (CIVIL) Act that creates a procedure for judicial review of invocation of the Insurrection Act.
Reintroduce and pass the Strengthening the Posse Comitatus Act that expands the applicability of the Act keeping US military out of civilian law enforcement.
Improve transparency around National Guard deployment by requiring every Guard unit domestically deployed to publicly release their concept of operations, risk assessment, and rules of engagement.
Legislation:H.R.7135 - CIVIL Act | S.2386 - Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act | H.R.7297 - Strengthening the Posse Comitatus Act of 2020
