Governor Newsom denounces Trump's utilization of the National Guard following troop reductions ordered by the President
In a dramatic showdown, California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal action against the Trump administration over the deployment of National Guard troops in American cities, particularly in Los Angeles. The dispute centres around the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits military personnel from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities on U.S. soil.
Newsom, who made his comments at a news conference outside Downey Memorial Christian Church, criticised the administration's immigration crackdown, stating that its only goal was to terrorise families and communities, not to pursue violent criminals. He labelled the president's decision to deploy about 4,000 National Guardsmen as part of Trump's "rule of cruelty."
The governor's opposition to the deployment was based on the claim that it was illegal and exceeded the president's authority. An initial federal judge's ruling against the deployment was later overturned by an appeals court. However, following weeks of protests and legal disputes, the Pentagon decided to withdraw approximately 2,000 out of about 4,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles.
Newsom highlighted a low utilization rate of the troops, with only about 5% actively engaged in duties, while the rest were held in reserve. He described the deployment as a "solution in search of a problem." The government, according to Newsom, wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on the deployment.
The governor also accused President Trump of trying to preserve Republican power in Washington by pressuring Texas to redraw congressional districts. In response, Newsom threatened to launch a similar effort in California to favour Democrats. He is also considering a potential legal loophole that would allow the California Legislature to redraw the congressional maps with a two-thirds vote, bypassing a ballot.
Newsom met with the Rev. Tanya Lopez, the senior pastor of Downey Memorial Christian Church, to discuss an incident in June where federal agents detained a constituent in the parking lot of her church. The governor reiterated his threat to redraw California's electoral maps to help Democrats gain more congressional seats, in response to Trump's call for states to redistrict to benefit Republicans.
California voters granted an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission the authority to determine the boundaries of state voting districts for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. The commission is responsible for ensuring fair and impartial redistricting, free from political influence.
The legal battle surrounding the deployment of National Guard troops in American cities is a testament to the tension between federal authority and state opposition. The withdrawal reflected both the ongoing legal challenges and the political implications of the deployment. The dispute continues, with ongoing hearings regarding the potential violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.
- In a confrontational scenario, California Governor Gavin Newsom initiated legal measures versus the Trump administration over the introduction of National Guard troops in urban areas, particularly Los Angeles.
- Newsom spoke at a news conference outside Downey Memorial Christian Church, where he criticized the administration's aggressive immigration policies, arguing they aimed to instill fear in families and communities rather than pursuing violent criminals.
- The governor alleged the deployment of about 4,000 National Guardsmen played a role in Trump's "rule of cruelty."
- Newsom argued the deployment was illegal and overstepped the president's authority, with an initial federal judge's ruling against the deployment later being overturned by an appeals court.
- Despite the court ruling, the Pentagon eventually decided to withdraw around 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles due to weeks of protests and legal disputes.
- Newsom argued the low utilization rate of troops, with only about 5% actively engaged in duties, made the deployment a "solution in search of a problem," and claimed the government wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on the operation.
- In addition to the deployment dispute, Newsom accused President Trump of attempting to maintain Republican power in Washington by pressuring Texas to redraw congressional districts. In response, Newsom threatened to implement a similar effort in California to favor Democrats, possibly exploiting a legal loophole that would allow the California Legislature to redraw congressional maps with a two-thirds vote, bypassing a ballot.
