An appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration must return control of the California National Guard to the state after the administration federalized and deployed troops.
President Donald Trump announced earlier Wednesday that he would withdraw the National Guard from Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) said Trump has “admitted defeat.”
“I’m glad President Trump has finally admitted defeat: we’ve said all along the federalization of the National Guard in California is illegal,” he said in a statement.
“The President deployed these brave men and women against their own communities and without regard for the constitution and federal law. We welcome our California National Guard servicemembers back to state service, where they can continue to serve and protect the people of California — long delayed due to Trump’s political theater,” he added.
Trump mobilized around 4,000 troops in June to control crime in the state. Newsom vigorously opposed the deployment. While most troops had been withdrawn, around 300 had remained under federal control.
Trump said he withdrew the National Guard from major cities despite crime being “greatly reduced” by the troop presence. He cautioned that an increase in crime would compel the federal government to step in with a “much different and stronger form.”
“It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???” he added.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Trump had no “legal justification” to deploy troops there.
“The Constitution still applies to presidents who wish it didn’t,” Bass said on social media. “Angelenos stood together. We saw through it. The courts saw through it.”
TRUMP WITHDRAWS NATIONAL GUARD FROM CHICAGO, LA, AND PORTLAND DESPITE ‘GREATLY REDUCED’ CRIME
The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration improperly federalized the Illinois National Guard in response to unrest aimed at the ongoing immigration operation there.
The rulings could influence the National Guard deployments in New Orleans, Memphis, and Washington, D.C.
