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More troops deployed to LA as court weighs Trump’s authority

Shea Taylor (Producer), Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter)
There are now 4,100 National Guard members and 700 Marines on the ground in Los Angeles as part of President Trump’s order mobilizing them over ICE protests.
Image credit: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
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Summary

More troops deployed

More National Guard troops have been deployed to Los Angeles. The White House says the additional 2,000 troops are part of the roughly 4,000 the president mobilized last week.

Still undecided

An appeals court heard arguments over California's legal challenge to Trump's order on Tuesday, June 17. The judges have not yet issued a ruling on Tuesday or given any indication on when they would decide.

Curfew canceled

Despite more troops being sent to L.A., protests there have begun to die down. Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday lifted the curfew she had imposed last week to prevent vandalism and break-ins.

Full story

As a federal appeals court considers whether President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by deploying the California National Guard, the White House states that 2,000 additional troops are on their way to Los Angeles.

U.S. Northern Command clarified on Tuesday, June 17, that the newly announced troops are part of the same Trump-activated forces from last week, not an additional deployment. The total presence in L.A. now includes 4,100 National Guard members and 700 Marines.

The Pentagon states that the troops will protect federal property and personnel, rather than engage in law enforcement.

While the protests in L.A. continue, they have become more peaceful. The city’s mayor has even ended the curfew put in place.

On the legal front, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Tuesday regarding California’s lawsuit challenging Trump’s order to take control of the state’s National Guard without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s consent. The judges did not issue a ruling on Tuesday or provide any indication of when they would decide. 

A lower court judge who previously ordered Trump to return control to California has a follow-up hearing scheduled for Friday, June 20. That order is on pause for now, but could be extended.

Unprecedented presidential move

This marks the first time since 1965 that a president has federalized a state guard without a governor’s approval.

Legal experts say the outcome could set a powerful precedent for presidential authority to deploy troops in American cities.

Devan Markham (Morning Digital Producer) and Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor) contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

A federal court case regarding President Trump's deployment of the California National Guard without the governor's consent raises questions about the limits of presidential authority and could establish a precedent for future actions regarding federal control over state military resources.

Presidential authority

The case addresses whether the president can override a governor’s wishes in deploying state National Guard troops, which could redefine executive powers in domestic military matters.

Federal versus state control

The legal dispute centers on the balance of power between federal and state governments over the command of National Guard units during civil unrest.

Legal precedent

The court’s eventual decision may influence how similar disputes are handled in the future, impacting the relationship between state and federal governments in emergency situations.

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Community reaction

Local officials, including Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, opposed the deployment, arguing that local law enforcement could manage unrest without federal troops. Community groups and protestors responded with demonstrations, and widespread concern about the militarization of civil protest management and potential erosion of local governance was noted across news coverage.

Debunking

Claims that widespread violence amounted to a "rebellion" were questioned by multiple sources and a federal judge, who wrote, "The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of 'rebellion.'" Multiple news articles report that demonstrations were largely peaceful after initial events, and arrests were often for non-violent law offenses like curfew violations, not armed insurrection.

Behind the numbers

Several sources report that President Trump federalized over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines for deployment to Los Angeles, following large protests. According to a Pentagon estimate cited in news coverage, the cost of the deployment could reach $134 million for Los Angeles. The numbers highlight the substantial scale and investment involved.

Sources

  1. CBS News
  2. The Associated Press
  3. ABC News

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left emphasize Trump’s deployment of over 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles as an illegal, authoritarian “military occupation” that threatens democratic norms, portraying it as a politically motivated overreach and highlighting expert condemnation and veteran dissent.
  • Media outlets in the center de-emphasize partisan language, focusing instead on the unprecedented legal conflict and potential Supreme Court implications.
  • Media outlets on the right defend the president’s constitutional authority, framing California’s challenge as legally weak “political power grabs” and applauding the appeals court’s “skeptical” stance toward the state’s arguments, often employing charged words like “hounds” and “scrap” to depict opposition as obstructionist.

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Media landscape

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222 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • California's lawsuit claims President Donald Trump illegally deployed the National Guard without consulting state officials, marking an unprecedented federal action since the 1960s.
  • California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the deployment a military occupation, arguing it threatens democratic principles.
  • Judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals questioned the necessity of deploying troops and whether the president's powers are unreviewable.
  • The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments regarding the legality of Trump's actions and the right of the courts to review such decisions.

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Key points from the Center

  • On June 17, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco heard arguments on President Trump’s authority to federalize California’s National Guard against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wishes after protests in Los Angeles.
  • The hearing followed a lower court ruling by Judge Charles Breyer last week that found Trump exceeded his authority and violated the Tenth Amendment by deploying 4,000 troops without the governor's consent during immigration enforcement actions.
  • The Trump administration argued federalizing the Guard was necessary to restore order, while Newsom sued, contending the deployment inflamed tensions, breached state sovereignty, and was both illegal and immoral.
  • California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, "There's absolutely no invasion or rebellion," expressing confidence courts would reject Trump’s Title 10 authority. At the same time, Trump’s attorneys claimed presidential decisions about troop deployment lack judicial review.
  • The appeals court temporarily stayed Breyer’s order, keeping troops under federal control, and the case may move to a full appeals court or the Supreme Court, highlighting ongoing federal-state power tensions.

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Key points from the Right

  • A federal appeals court will hear arguments about whether President Donald Trump can keep control of the California National Guard, as ordered by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer to return authority to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
  • A federal appeals court heard arguments regarding President Donald Trump's control over the California National Guard, as a federal judge ordered authority to return to Newsom.

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Sources

  1. CBS News
  2. The Associated Press
  3. ABC News