California Governor Gavin Newsom announced legal action against President Donald Trump on Monday after federal troops were deployed to Los Angeles without state authorisation, intensifying ongoing protests that have gripped the state for three days.
In a strongly worded post on X, Newsom declared, “This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted. He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalise the National Guard… We’re suing him.” The governor warned that the move sets a dangerous precedent, allowing Trump to override any state’s authority under the guise of national security.
Newsom contends that the decision violates constitutional protocols requiring coordination with state leaders and endangers both civilians and first responders. “Donald Trump is reckless, he’s immoral,” Newsom said at a press conference. “They never coordinated with the governor of the state.”
The surprise military presence has sparked mass protests in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Demonstrators clashed with federal officers; police reported 27 arrests in LA and about 60 in San Francisco. Three officers were injured in the Bay Area. Protesters reportedly threw Molotov cocktails, set property ablaze and blocked highways. Several self-driving Waymo cars were also torched in downtown LA.
Local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, called for calm. “Angelenos don’t engage in violence and chaos. Don’t give the administration what they want,” Bass said. Kounalakis emphasised, “Our strength is in unity, not chaos.”
‘Gavin is too weak’, says WH Press Secy
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the deployment, accusing Newsom of failing to contain the unrest. “Gavin Newsom did nothing as violent riots erupted… because he was too weak to protect the city,” she said on X.
Meanwhile, Trump signed a sweeping executive order enforcing tighter immigration rules, including a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries and a controversial policy offering $1,000 and travel expenses to undocumented migrants who voluntarily leave the US.