Judge Rules Trump Illegally Deployed US Military To Los Angeles
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump violated the law when he deployed thousands of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles County in response to violent protests targeting immigration enforcement efforts.
Judge Charles Breyer—brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer—declared that Trump’s use of the military crossed a legal line, asserting that the deployment amounted to domestic law enforcement, which is restricted under federal law. The Trump administration argued that the 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines were sent only to protect federal facilities and employees, not to police civilians.
The case was brought by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who filed a lawsuit claiming Trump had overstepped his authority. Following the ruling, Newsom posted triumphantly on X, “DONALD TRUMP LOSES AGAIN… his militarization of our streets and use of the military against US citizens is ILLEGAL.”
Despite the ruling, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said the decision was misleading and assured the public that military forces would not be leaving Los Angeles.
“The military will remain in Los Angeles,” Essayli wrote. “This is a false narrative and a misleading injunction. The military has never engaged in direct law enforcement operations here. They are there to protect federal employees and federal property so our agents can safely enforce the law against the thugs being unleashed and encouraged by state and local politicians.”
While Breyer’s decision targeted the scope of Trump’s authority, a previous ruling from the same judge—blocking Trump from assuming control of the National Guard from Newsom—was already overturned by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. That court sided with Trump, agreeing that the Guard’s mission was limited to safeguarding federal sites and personnel.
The legal fight adds fuel to the ongoing power struggle between federal and state authorities over who controls the response to civil unrest in America’s cities.
