California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken the first legal shots against President Donald Trump. This move follows the federalization of the California National Guard and the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles. Newsom’s lawsuit, filed on Monday, argues that Trump broke the law by failing to seek the governor’s consent before initiating these military actions. The actions taken by the president as outlined are unnecessary, unconstitutional, and increase civil unrest within the state, the governor argues.
All but forgotten is Trump’s intense defense of his decision during a subsequent press briefing in the Oval Office. In response, he authorized the federalization and deployment of approximately 4,000 members of the California National Guard and nearly 700 Marines to Los Angeles. He claimed that absent his actions the city branch would have gone through disasters like what the city suffered earlier this year.
“Look, if we didn’t get involved right now, Los Angeles would be burning just like it was burning a number of months ago, with all the houses that were lost,” – Donald Trump
In his lawsuit, Newsom criticized Trump’s approach, stating, “Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President.” He made clear, as a former warfighter himself, that putting heavily trained warfighters on America’s streets is dangerous and threatens our democracy like never before.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta started with a bang. He asked Judge Charles Breyer for a temporary restraining order to stop Trump’s military maneuvers. The order aims to “prevent immediate and irreparable harm to Plaintiffs” and was requested to be granted by 1 p.m. PT on the day of filing. Bonta argues that Trump’s continued use of military personnel increases the likelihood of escalating violence.
Trump has claimed that Los Angeles is currently “in great shape,” suggesting that his administration’s actions have stabilized the area. In their complaint, federalizing National Guard troops without the state’s consent undermines local control. At the same time, they contend this move even jeopardizes public safety.
This is exactly what Newsom is doing right now, as he actively testifies against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon. Specifically, he wants accountability for what he believes is a federal overreach of power. The controversial move has sparked a passionate debate back home. Often, the school’s focus is on the balance of power between state and federal authorities, particularly in times of crisis.