A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration violated federal law by deploying thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests over immigration enforcement earlier this summer.
Judge Charles Breyer, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, found that the deployment breached the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the use of US military personnel in domestic law enforcement. The order, due to take effect on 12 September, also cited the president's threats to send troops to other cities, describing the actions as creating a 'national police force with the president as its chief'.
California Governor Gavin Newsom praised the ruling as a victory for democracy and constitutional limits on presidential power, stating: 'No president is a king — not even Trump.' The case stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Newsom in June, arguing the deployment was an 'unmistakable step toward authoritarianism'.
The White House dismissed the decision as judicial overreach, with spokesperson Anna Kelly vowing to appeal and accusing a 'rogue judge' of trying to usurp Trump's authority. About 300 troops remain in Los Angeles, down from thousands deployed in June.
Judge Breyer did not order an immediate withdrawal but barred the Pentagon from using troops for arrests, searches, crowd control, or other law enforcement activities. Newsom has since filed a preliminary injunction to block an extension of the deployment through the November election.
