In a dramatic turn of events, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to sue the Trump administration for sending 300 California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. This move follows a federal judges refusal to allow the federalization of Oregons National Guard to quell ongoing protests.
Newsom condemned the deployment as "a breathtaking abuse of the law and power," accusing the White House of weaponizing the military against American citizens and defying court orders. "They are on their way there now," the governors office stated, underscoring the administrations unilateral action.
President Trump insisted that the city was under siege by demonstrators opposed to federal immigration enforcement. On September 27, he ordered "all necessary troops" to Portland, placing 200 Oregon National Guard members under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths command.
Oregon State and the city of Portland swiftly filed suit on September 28. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the protests "were not significantly violent or disruptive" to justify Trump's use of the National Guard. Undeterred, the administration appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which recently reinstated Trumps authority to deploy guards in Los Angeles.
The upcoming legal battle will test the limits of federal power, state sovereignty, and the rule of law. As both sides prepare for court, the nation watches closely: a showdown that could redefine how and when the military can be used on American soil.
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California to sue over Trump sending National Guard to Portland
cgtn.com