- A federal judge in California has ruled that President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
- Judge Charles Breyer cited actions like crowd control and traffic blockades as unlawful.
- The ruling, delayed until September 12, comes amid Trump’s broader push to use troops in cities like Chicago and Washington, D.C. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who sued over the deployment, hailed the decision as a win for constitutional democracy.
President Trump’s use of National Guard troops in Los Angeles has been declared illegal — and the ruling could ripple through his broader plans to deploy military force in American cities.
In a 52-page decision, US District Judge Charles Breyer found that Trump’s June deployment of troops to quell protests against immigration raids violated the Posse Comitatus Act — a law dating back to 1878 that bars the military from enforcing domestic laws without congressional approval.
Breyer cited specific actions taken by the Guard, including setting up perimeters, blocking traffic, and engaging in crowd control — all of which fall outside the military’s legal scope. He warned that Trump’s approach risked creating a “national police force with the President as its chief.”
The ruling, which applies only in California, is on hold until September 12 to allow time for appeal. The White House has signaled it will challenge the decision, with spokesperson Anna Kelly calling the judge “rogue” and defending Trump’s authority to protect cities from unrest.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who sued the administration over the deployment, welcomed the ruling, saying the court had sided with democracy and the Constitution.
The legal battle also included a separate challenge over control of California’s National Guard contingent. While Breyer initially ruled in Newsom’s favor, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision in June.
Trump has already deployed troops to Washington, D.C., and is considering sending forces to Chicago. But Breyer’s ruling could complicate future efforts, especially if similar deployments cross the line into domestic policing.
As the legal dust settles, the case underscores a deeper tension between federal authority and state sovereignty — and raises fresh questions about the limits of presidential power in times of civil unrest.
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Donald Trump, National Guard, Posse Comitatus Act, Judge Charles Breyer, Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles protests, immigration raids, federal law, NewsandVibes
Want a follow-up piece on the history of the Posse Comitatus Act or a spotlight on how this ruling could shape Trump’s law-and-order strategy? I’ve got angles ready.
