Trump Prevails in Court Over California Troops
LOS ANGELES—June 20, 2025
A federal appeals court just handed President Donald Trump a major victory in his constitutional showdown with California Governor Gavin Newsom, greenlighting Trump’s controversial seizure of state National Guard troops during explosive protests in Los Angeles. The ruling escalates a historic clash over presidential power and states’ rights, leaving armed federal troops patrolling California streets as legal battles rage on.
Court’s Sharp Rebuke
In a unanimous decision, three Ninth Circuit judges overturned a lower court’s order that had briefly returned control of 4,000 California National Guard members to Governor Newsom. The panel declared Trump “acted within his authority” when he federalized the troops and deployed 700 Marines earlier this month to protect immigration facilities amid fiery protests. While stopping short of granting Trump unlimited power, the judges emphasized that courts must show “appropriate deference” to a president’s emergency decisions—especially when federal officers faced Molotov cocktails and explosive projectiles hurled by protesters.
Newsom’s Defiant Response
Within minutes of the ruling, Newsom fired back from Sacramento. “Donald Trump is no king, and he’s not above the law.” Flanked by state attorneys, the governor vowed to fight the decision “using every tool we have,” starting with a critical hearing today where a federal judge will consider blocking troop activities under laws barring military involvement in civilian policing. “This isn’t just about California,” Newsom declared. “It’s about whether any president can turn National Guard units into their personal militia.”
Political Firestorm Ignites
Trump immediately claimed total victory on social media, boasting of his “BIG WIN” while taunting Newsom as “incompetent and unprepared.” Behind the bluster, the White House sees this as a blueprint for future standoffs. “If cities need protection, we’ll give it,” a senior advisor told reporters. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that soldiers with rifles near schools and churches are “pouring gasoline on tensions.” Her police chief confirmed protest injuries have tripled since troops arrived, with frightened families hiding indoors as helicopters buzz immigrant neighborhoods.
Echoes of History
This explosive standoff mirrors past federal-state crises—like when Lyndon Johnson federalized Alabama’s Guard during civil rights marches—but with a jarring modern twist. Unlike the 1960s, today’s troops guard ICE facilities where raids have detained hundreds this week, sparking nightly clashes. At a barbed-wire checkpoint downtown, Specialist Luis Gutierrez (a California native) told us: “I took an oath to both my state and my country. Now they’re pulling us apart. No one wins here.”
What Happens Next
The legal war is far from over. This afternoon, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer weighs whether Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act—a 145-year-old law restricting military police actions. Newsom’s team will argue troops crossed the line by directly assisting ICE arrests, while federal lawyers insist they only “secured perimeters.” If Breyer blocks the mission, Trump could rush to the Supreme Court.
Nationwide Repercussions
Legal scholars warn this case could redraw boundaries of presidential power. “If this stands, any governor who defies Washington could lose their National Guard overnight,” said Berkeley law professor Erin Murphy. Already, Texas and Florida governors praised Trump’s move, while New York’s leader pledged to “reinforce state control.” With Trump pledging mass deportations and blue states vowing defiance, this California clash may ignite copycat crises nationwide.
As dusk falls over Los Angeles, the human stakes pierce through the legal noise. Maria Herrera, a mother of four hiding from ICE sweeps in Boyle Heights, put it bluntly. “Soldiers don’t belong here. We feel occupied, not protected.” With courts divided and politicians digging in, the only certainty is more turmoil ahead.