Appeals court rules Donald Trump’s deployment of California National Guard to Los Angeles was illegal

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Trump’s deployment of 4,000 members of the California National Guard to the Los Angeles area last year constituted an unlawful abuse of his authority.

The 2-1 decision by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals follows precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court in December holding that Trump’s federalization of the Illinois National Guard was illegal.

Friday’s ruling in San Francisco rejects the president’s claim that there was a rebellion in Los Angeles that justified federalization of the Guard, an argument the court found was not within a “range of honest judgment.”

The Trump administration said violent demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles and elsewhere protesting the immigration crackdown justified the president taking control of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s guard.

“Today is a crucial day for the rule of law, upholding the Constitution and defending democracy,” Newsom said in a statement. “Yet another court has totally rejected Donald Trump’s illegal and authoritarian takeover of our state’s National Guard. California has fought back against this potential takeover and, in doing so, set a critical legal precedent that protects not only Californians but all Americans. California continues to provide a first line of defense against Donald Trump’s authoritarianism.”

Previously, the 9th Circuit agreed with Trump, holding that the president acted within the law when he called troops into federal service for 60 days “to protect federal personnel performing federal duties and protect federal property.”

However, the court did not agree with the administration’s argument that the president’s decision to federalize members of the California National Guard was immune from judicial review.

The appeals panel ruled Friday that Trump did not meet the legal requirements to deploy the Guard in Los Angeles.

“Defendants have failed to present any of the evidence required here,” wrote Judge Jennifer Sung, appointed by former President Biden. “So they did not bear their burden.”

Judge Mark Bennett, a Trump appointee, dissented, writing that the panel should not have ruled on the case because the Trump administration wanted to abandon its appeal of a lower court’s order seeking a preliminary injunction against the National Guard deployment.

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to an after-hours request for comment.

“Once again, the courts have rejected the Trump administration’s attempts to circumvent the law for its own political agenda,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. “Deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles without rhyme or reason is a clear example of federal overreach, and it will not be tolerated. When the President tramples the Constitution and the rights of Californians, we will fight to hold him accountable – and we will win.”

Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.