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Trump Wins Initial Ruling in National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles follows the law, despite California's Democratic leadership contesting the decision. Trump's order, issued on June 7, cited a rarely used federal statute permitting a president to deploy the National Guard in times of invasion, domestic rebellion, or the inability for the federal government to carry out its laws. The order was for 60 days and technically applied to all of the state Nation Guards in the U.S. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a weeklong curfew in the city's downtown after Trump's deployment, stating that local law enforcement agencies were more than capable of addressing the unrest. However, Trump's order marked the first time since 1965 that a president deployed the National Guard against the wishes of a state's governor. A group of former service secretaries and four-star military commanders wrote an amicus brief supporting Newsom's lawsuit challenging the deployment. The appeals court order is not surprising, as the panel signaled an openness to the Trump administration's legal arguments during a legal hearing on Tuesday. Newsom has vowed to press forward with the challenge, stating that the "president is not a king and is not above the law."

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles follows the law.
  • The order was issued on June 7 and cited a rarely used federal statute permitting a president to deploy the National Guard in times of invasion, domestic rebellion, or the inability for the federal government to carry out its laws.
  • The deployment was for 60 days and technically applied to all of the state Nation Guards in the U.S.
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a weeklong curfew in the city's downtown after Trump's deployment.
  • A group of former service secretaries and four-star military commanders wrote an amicus brief supporting Newsom's lawsuit challenging the deployment.
  • Newsom has vowed to press forward with the challenge, stating that the "president is not a king and is not above the law."
  • Two of the judges on the appeals court panel were appointed by President Trump in his previous term.

Statistics:

  • The deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles is the first time since 1965 that a president has deployed troops against the wishes of a state's governor.
  • The order was issued on June 7, and the deployment is set to continue for 60 days.
  • The U.S. Supreme Court may be involved in the case, as the appeals court's decision could be appealed to the high court.

Sources:

  • CalMatters, "National Guard in Los Angeles: Trump wins initial ruling, but challenge is far from over"
  • CalMatters, "California Republicans, Trump, and the military: A complicated relationship"
  • Law.Cornell.edu, "10 USC § 12406 - National Guard"

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