President Donald Trump's decision this weekend to federalize National Guard troops in California was condemned by congressional Democrats and administration critics as a serious violation of standards for military interference in domestic affairs.
Unilateral Action and Rising Tensions
“Such unilateral action, taken without consultation with local leaders, risks escalating rather than defusing tensions,” Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement Sunday night. Reed said the move “sets a disturbing precedent for military intervention in local law enforcement.” “It is vital that decisions of this magnitude are made with transparency, restraint, and respect for constitutional balance.”
Trump announced plans over the weekend to deploy 2.000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell protests over immigration policies and practices. About 300 have already arrived in the city to assist with peacekeeping activities.
The House Armed Services Democrats also shared a statement on social media saying, “The federalization and deployment of the California National Guard, despite the objections of state and local officials in California, risks a dangerous escalation of the situation in Los Angeles County.” This decision came despite the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom called the decision “a serious violation of state sovereignty” in a social media post on Sunday.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also called Trump’s decision “an abuse of power and a dangerous escalation,” adding, “This is the kind of thing you see in authoritarian states, and it must be stopped.” Veterans organization Common Defense officials said the moves “undermine civil rights and betray the principles we swore to defend.” Newsom and others have vowed to take legal action in the coming days to challenge the president's decision.
Pentagon Support and Legal Basis
In addition to the Guard actions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media late Saturday night that “active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized” if violence continues in the Los Angeles area. Officials said about 500 active-duty personnel are prepared to deploy if needed.
Trump based his decision on a legal provision that allows him to activate federal service members when there is “an insurrection or threat of insurrection against the authority of the United States government.” But critics have called that interpretation of the law an overreaction and noted that the latest moves were the first in decades that the National Guard was activated without a request from a state’s governor.
Hegseth is scheduled to testify before the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on Tuesday, where he will likely face additional questions about military deployments.
Los Angeles Protests
Protests in Los Angeles began on Friday when more than 40 people were arrested in immigration raids across the city. Since then, nearly 60 more people have been charged with vandalism and violence over their attempts to block federal authorities from conducting additional operations. Trump has said on social media that people opposing immigration raids are “not protesters, they are troublemakers and rioters.” He has also repeatedly criticized Newsom and local Democratic leaders for not taking a stronger stance against violence.
