Judge Rules Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles Was Unlawful

A federal judge in California has ruled that former President Donald Trump acted illegally when he sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this summer.

The decision, delivered by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, found that Trump’s deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act—a law that restricts the federal government from using the military to enforce domestic laws.

Judge Breyer highlighted that the Guard’s activities, which included crowd control, traffic blockades, and setting up security perimeters, went beyond what the law allows. He warned that such actions risked turning the military into “a national police force with the President as its chief.”

The ruling is temporarily on hold until September 12, giving the Trump administration time to appeal. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly responded sharply, calling the decision the work of “a rogue judge” and insisting that Trump had the authority to protect U.S. cities from unrest.

Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the decision, saying the court had upheld both democracy and the Constitution.

Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June amid protests over immigration raids. While the White House argued the move was necessary to curb violence, California officials maintained that state and local law enforcement were capable of managing the situation without federal interference.

Newsom later sued the administration, accusing Trump of bypassing his authority as governor to mobilize California’s National Guard. Judge Breyer sided with Newsom in that case as well, though an earlier ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had favored Trump.

The order currently applies only in California, but legal experts suggest it could influence challenges to Trump’s broader use of the National Guard. The former president has already deployed troops to Washington, D.C., and has considered sending them to other cities, including Chicago.

The Posse Comitatus Act, enacted in 1878, prohibits using the U.S. military to enforce domestic laws except under limited circumstances authorized by Congress. Judge Breyer’s ruling reaffirmed those restrictions, blocking the Guard from engaging in arrests, searches, seizures, riot control, or similar law enforcement duties.

With appeals expected, the final outcome remains uncertain. However, the ruling marks a significant check on Trump’s efforts to expand military involvement in