US Senator Bernie Sanders issued a stark warning on Sunday about the direction of the United States under US President Donald Trump, following his deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to protests over federal immigration raids.

Speaking to CNN, the Vermont senator criticized Trump’s decision to override state authority and send 2,000 California National Guard troops without a formal request from state officials. “We have a president who is moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism,” Sanders said. “My understanding is that the governor of California, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, did not request the National Guard, but he thinks he has a right to do anything he wants.”

In his comments, Sanders outlined a broad pattern of behavior that he says reflects the administration’s disregard for democratic norms and constitutional boundaries. “He is suing the media who criticizes him. He is going after law firms who have clients who were against him. He’s going after universities that teach courses that he doesn’t like. He’s threatening to impeach judges who rule against him. And he’s usurping the powers of the United States Congress,” he said.

Sanders emphasized that the threat extends beyond any single action, pointing to what he described as a deeper erosion of democratic institutions under Trump’s leadership. “This guy wants all of the power. He does not believe in the constitution. He does not believe in the rule of law.”

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He also directed his appeal toward Republican lawmakers, stating that “the future of the US rests with a small number of Republicans in the House and Senate who know better, who do know what the constitution is about.” He added: “It’s high time they stood for our constitution and the rule of law.”

California leaders reject Trump’s move as “inflammatory”

Sanders’ remarks came amid widespread criticism from California officials over Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles. Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move, describing it as “purposefully inflammatory.”

“The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles, and not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle,” Newsom said, urging the public not to escalate the situation: “Don’t give them one.”

This latest development marks the first time a US president has exercised such authority since the 1992 riots in Los Angeles, which followed the acquittal of four white police officers in the brutal beating of Black motorist Rodney King.

Los Angeles has been the site of large-scale demonstrations following Trump's immigration crackdown. The deployment of troops has been widely viewed as an attempt to suppress dissent and assert federal control, further fueling criticism from civil rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers.