Court backs Trump's control of National Guard over Newsom's objection

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Jun 2025 08:59

A US federal appeals court has ruled that Donald Trump acted within his constitutional authority by federalizing the National Guard during the 2020 Los Angeles unrest.

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A lighted lamp appears in a window on Air Force One with President Donald Trump on board as a member of the military salutes at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

A US federal appeals court has ruled in favor of President Donald Trump, upholding his authority to retain control over National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles, despite strong opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The ruling, handed down Thursday by a unanimous three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, is a major legal development in the ongoing struggle over the balance of power between federal and state governments during domestic crises.

In its 38-page opinion, the court affirmed that Trump acted within his constitutional authority when he activated 4,000 National Guard troops for a 60-day period, stating the deployment aimed "to protect federal personnel performing federal functions and to protect federal property."

The panel noted that Trump's "failure to issue the federalization order directly 'through' the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority to call up the National Guard."

The decision effectively reverses a lower court ruling from June 12, which found Trump's actions "illegal" and ordered the guard returned to state control. At that time, Newsom celebrated the court's rebuke, stating, "Trump is not a monarch, he is not a king, and he should stop acting like one."

Federal override

Newsom had initially responded to the unrest by coordinating with state and local agencies, dispatching California Highway Patrol units, and insisting that the state could manage the protests independently.

After Trump's June 7 order to federalize the Guard, an unprecedented move not seen since 1965, Newsom sought and received a temporary restraining order with support from California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The order briefly returned control of the Guard to the state until it was overturned on appeal.

In addition to the Guard deployment, Trump sent 700 US Marines to Los Angeles to guard federal buildings, despite vocal objections from California leaders.

Critics accused the president of exploiting civil unrest for political theater, particularly as he repeatedly described the city as "burning" and "out of control", a characterization that local officials disputed.

Trump celebrated Thursday's ruling on Truth Social, calling it a "BIG WIN" and writing, "All over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done."

According to The New York Times, two of the three appellate judges who issued the decision were appointed by Trump, while the third was appointed by former President Joe Biden.