CaliToday (06/10/2025): In a dramatic escalation of a constitutional showdown, President Donald Trump is deploying approximately 200 federalized California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, a move being executed in direct defiance of the governors of both states, who are now jointly suing to stop it.
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| California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks during the 2025 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York City, U.S., September 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper |
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the troops, mobilized from the Los Angeles area, would "assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal personnel in the performance of official duties," including law enforcement and the protection of federal property.
The deployment immediately triggered a legal firestorm, setting the stage for a critical clash over presidential power and states' rights. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he was taking the Trump administration to court even as the troops were "on their way." On Sunday evening, California officially joined an existing federal lawsuit filed by Oregon to block the deployment from both states.
"This is a brazen abuse of the law and power. The Trump administration is in direct assault on the rule of law," Newsom wrote in a scathing post on X, estimating a higher number of 300 troops being mobilized.
This contentious action comes just a day after a federal judge in Oregon dealt a legal blow to the administration, temporarily blocking Trump from deploying 200 of Oregon's own National Guard troops to Portland.
A Judge's Rebuke and the President's Retort
In her ruling on Saturday, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut—an appointee from Trump's first term—found a lack of evidence that recent protests warranted such a move. She argued that while a president is owed "the utmost deference" in military decisions, Trump could not ignore facts.
Accepting the administration's legal arguments, she warned, would mean the president could "dispatch troops virtually anywhere at any time" and would "risk blurring the lines between civilian and military federal power—to the detriment of this nation."
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump repeated his characterization of Portland as a city rife with lawlessness, stating, "You have agitators, you have insurrectionists."
He then launched a personal attack on the judge who had ruled against him. Claiming he didn't know which judge issued the order, Trump said he was not "well served" by whoever advised her appointment. "That judge should be ashamed of herself," Trump said of Immergut, misgendering her in the process.
The Trump administration promptly appealed Immergut’s ruling on Sunday, arguing that a 200-year-old Supreme Court decision gives the president sole discretion on whether to mobilize the National Guard.
A Widening Pattern
The forced deployment is the latest example of Trump’s expanded use of the U.S. military for domestic purposes during his second term. This pattern includes deploying troops along the U.S. border and ordering them to kill suspected drug traffickers at sea.
Local officials in Portland have vigorously resisted Trump's efforts, arguing he is exaggerating the threat from protests to justify an illegal seizure of state units. This sentiment is now spreading, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, posting on Saturday that Trump was preparing to send 300 National Guard soldiers to Chicago over his objections.
With troops reportedly en route, a defiant White House, and outraged state officials turning to the courts, the deployment has set the stage for a critical legal and political battle over the limits of presidential power and the fundamental principles of American federalism.