Appeals court upholds Trump's control of National Guard in Los Angeles

An appeals court on Thursday ruled that U.S. President Donald Trump can retain control of the National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following violent protests triggered by immigration raids. The decision temporarily suspends a lower court ruling that had found Trump’s activation of the Guard to be unlawful, citing his move was made despite explicit opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom.

In its statement, the court emphasized that “the federal government’s interest in preventing incidents like these is significant.” The appeals court also acknowledged that, while the federal government failed to notify Governor Gavin Newsom prior to federalizing the National Guard—as required by law—the Democratic governor did not have the authority to veto President Trump’s order.

Victory for the Trump administration

“The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of ‘rebellion,’” wrote Justice Charles Breyer—brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and a Clinton appointee—in the initial ruling. In response, the Trump administration argued that the courts had no authority to second-guess the president’s national security decisions, and quickly secured a temporary stay from the appeals court.

While litigation continues, the National Guard deployed in California will remain under federal control—a significant victory for the Republican administration, which has repeatedly emphasized the need to restore order following a wave of protests marked by chaos and vandalism.