Ninth Circuit rules Trump exceeded authority by deploying National Guard to Los Angeles
A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit concluded that President Donald Trump lacked legal power to send the National Guard to Los Angeles during the June 2025 protests.
On Friday, the Ninth Circuit held that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority when he ordered the National Guard to Los Angeles amid protests over an immigration crackdown in June 2025. The panel, echoing a Supreme Court precedent on a similar Chicago deployment, upheld a preliminary injunction that kept the Guard under state control. Judge Jennifer Sung wrote that the evidence did not support a finding of organized rebellion, and she was joined by Judge Eric Miller in the majority.
Judge Mark Bennett dissented, saying the court should not have addressed the merits after the administration sought to drop the appeal. Governor Gavin Newsom praised the decision as a crucial affirmation of the rule of law. The Justice Department has not responded to requests for comment.
Why it matters
The ruling limits presidential power to federalize the National Guard, reinforcing state authority and constitutional checks.
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