U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer blocked President Trump’s plan to deploy National Guard troops in Los Angeles and ordered the units returned to state control. Breyer rejected the administration’s claim that protests against immigration officials amounted to a rebellion justifying federalization of the Guard. He also held that courts retain the authority to review such presidential decisions, warning against an overly broad view of executive power. The White House did not immediately comment.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles, Orders Troops Returned
09:14 PM, 12/10/2025
California National Guard members stand in formation during the protest in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 2025. - David Pashaee/AFP/Middle East Images/Getty Images
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles and ordered the units returned to the control of California’s governor.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer rejected the administration’s argument that recent protests aimed at immigration officials amounted to a rebellion that would legally justify federalizing state National Guard units and sending them into city streets.
Breyer also dismissed the White House contention that courts lack the authority to review a president’s decision to assume control of state National Guard forces during an emergency, calling that interpretation an overly broad claim of executive power.
"The founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances. Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one," Breyer said.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Why it matters: The ruling restores state control over the Guard units and reaffirms that presidential emergency actions of this type are subject to judicial review — a key check on executive authority in high-stakes situations.
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