The Department of Justice has strongly criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom’s legal challenge against President Trump’s deployment of nearly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, following violent protests tied to ICE raids. DOJ lawyers branded the lawsuit a “crass political stunt,” arguing it threatens federal personnel and misinterprets presidential authority.
Filing in San Francisco federal court, Justice Department attorneys defended the president’s unilateral power to federalize state military forces during crises, citing the need to safeguard federal property and personnel under an emergency statute. They also drew a comparison to the 1957 Little Rock school crisis, warning that Newsom’s challenge—if successful—could grant governors veto power over federal decisions.
Newsom has argued the deployment oversteps constitutional bounds and bypassed required state consent, prompting a court hearing this week. The Pentagon response reinforces executive discretion in using troops to suppress what it termed “rebellion,” while California officials continue to challenge the legality of the federal intervention.