- California AG Rob Bonta is suing the Trump administration over a surprise National Guard deployment to LA.
- Officials say the move violated state authority and was politically driven, not a response to real unrest.
- Governor Newsom and Bonta claim Trump is using the situation to stoke fear and tighten federal control.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking legal action against the Trump administration after President Donald Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the weekend. Bonta called the move “unlawful” and a blatant overstep of state authority.
Trump’s decision to federalize 2,000 members of California’s National Guard on Saturday came as a response to ongoing protests over his administration’s immigration policies. But Bonta pushed back hard, saying the deployment was unnecessary, politically motivated, and trampled on the authority of Governor Gavin Newsom.
“This is chaos created for political gain,” Bonta said in a statement. “Federalizing our Guard isn’t just wrong—it’s a misuse of power. We’re going to court to stop this.”
According to Bonta, the protests had already calmed down before troops showed up early Sunday, and their arrival actually reignited tensions. He also criticized the timing, saying California needs its Guard units ready for wildfire season—not caught up in federal crackdowns.
Meanwhile, the White House claimed the deployment was necessary due to what it called “lawlessness” in Los Angeles. They pointed to clashes between federal agents and demonstrators as justification for the troops.
Governor Newsom, however, slammed the decision, calling it a push for “spectacle” and accusing Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis. “He’s looking for chaos so he can justify more fear, more control,” Newsom said on X, urging demonstrators to keep their protests peaceful.
