SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — In a contentious escalation, President Donald Trump has ordered 300 members of the California National Guard to Oregon after a federal judge blocked the deployment of local forces to Portland. Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned this move, describing it as a breathtaking abuse of the law and power, and has pledged to challenge the deployment legally.
Newsom's strong reaction underscores the tension between state and federal responses to ongoing protests in Portland. In his statement, he emphasized, The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. He cautioned that public outcry is necessary against what he characterizes as reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president.
On Saturday, a Trump-appointed federal judge in Oregon ruled against the administration's plans to send the Oregon National Guard to assist in controlling protests near federal properties, asserting that the situation did not warrant such federal intervention and that allowing it could undermine state authority.
This deployment of California's National Guard comes on the heels of Trump's broader strategy to position military forces across various cities he has labeled as war zones amidst rising unrest. He previously deployed National Guard troops in Chicago and other urban centers, claiming they are necessary to restore order.
The backdrop of these events features intensifying protests around the U.S. regarding legal and immigration issues, particularly surrounding a site managed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Portland, which has seen significant demonstrations. Trump’s administration has faced heavy criticism for its approach, which many view as an overreach of executive power.
The national debate continues to swirl around the appropriateness of deploying military forces in civilian matters, and with Governor Newsom's move to take legal action, the conflict between state governance and federal authority remains a pressing issue.
