Court to California: Trump Still Controls the Guard

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President Donald Trump talks with California Gov. Gavin Newsom after arriving on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
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(AURN News) — After a lower court ruled the Trump administration had overstepped, a federal appeals court gave it the green light to retain control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles — over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel said the president likely acted lawfully when he federalized the Guard amid protests sparked by immigration raids.

This marks the first time since 1965 that a president has taken control of a state’s Guard without the governor’s consent.

The court acknowledged that President Donald Trump’s power is not unlimited, but said the violence cited — including attacks on federal officers and property — gave the federal government a strong enough case for stepping in. Still, the judges noted Trump should have notified the governor.

The case could set a major precedent as Trump pushes military forces into more Democratic-run cities.


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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