Judge says Trump illegally deployed National Guard to help with LA protests, must return control

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump's deployment of the California National Guard to Los Angeles was illegal, ordering him to return control of the troops by noon Friday. Judge Charles Breyer determined that Trump exceeded his authority and violated the Tenth Amendment by federalizing the Guard without proper notification to state officials. Governor Gavin Newsom's lawsuit claimed the troop deployments were unnecessary and counterproductive, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta labeling the actions as an abuse of power. The Department of Justice called the lawsuit a "crass political stunt. " During the hearing, Breyer posed questions regarding the legality of Trump's actions under statute 10 USC 12406, which governs the federalization of the National Guard.

Breyer, referencing the Constitution, noted he was familiar with Article II, indicating his scrutiny of executive power. The judge expressed intent to issue a preliminary injunction concerning the National Guard's use but refrained from addressing the Marines' deployment. The ruling underscores significant tensions between state and federal authorities over military deployments in response to civil unrest.