A federal appeals court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump to retain control of California’s National Guard, pausing a lower court ruling that challenged his deployment of troops to manage protests in Los Angeles.
A three-judge panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Trump likely acted within his authority to federalize the Guard and may have sufficiently coordinated with Governor Gavin Newsom.
This fight doesn’t end here. pic.twitter.com/6OZJdLcJK0
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 20, 2025
The court emphasized that while the president can call the Guard into federal service, it did not rule on what actions those troops may lawfully undertake.
The legal challenge from Newsom, who argues Trump’s deployment was unlawful and authoritarian, will continue. Newsom vowed on X to keep fighting: “The president is not a king and is not above the law.”
Trump celebrated the ruling on Truth Social, calling it a victory for public safety: “We will continue to protect and defend law-abiding Americans.”
