Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to take legal action following the Trump Administration’s deployment of 300 California National Guard personnel to Portland, Oregon. This move comes after a federal district court blocked President Trump’s attempt to federalize the Oregon National Guard.
In a statement released today, Newsom criticized the administration’s actions: “In response to a federal court order that blocked his attempt to federalize the Oregon National Guard, President Trump is deploying 300 California National Guard personnel into Oregon. They are on their way there now. This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words — ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents.”
Newsom continued: “This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power. The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the President of the United States.”
The deployment follows unrest in Los Angeles months ago, which led to these troops being federalized; however, officials note that conditions have since calmed and no longer warrant such measures.
A recent ruling from a federal judge appointed by President Trump rejected arguments for deploying federally controlled troops in Portland. The judge wrote: “This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation.” The court also found that statements from President Trump regarding these deployments were not “conceived in good faith” and were “simply untethered to the facts.”
The situation continues to develop as Governor Newsom prepares for legal proceedings.
