Federal Court Blocks Trump’s Control of California Guard, Orders Troops Returned to State

A federal judge in California has ruled that the Trump Administration must end its federal deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, a decision that marks another judicial check on expanded executive power. According to NPR, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday directing the federal government to return control of the troops to the state.

The decision escalates tension between Washington and California, where the National Guard has been federalized since June 2025 amid protests over immigration enforcement operations. The Trump Administration initially sent roughly 4,000 California National Guard members to the city without Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent; that number has since declined to around 100, but federal officials sought to continue federal control into February 2026.

Judge Breyer sharply rebuked the administration’s legal position, asserting that allowing indefinite federal control of state troops could “permit a president to create a perpetual police force comprised of state troops.” The ruling is part of a series of legal setbacks for the administration’s use of National Guard forces in Democratic-led cities.

In response to NPR’s request for comment, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the administration believes the deployment was within its “lawful authority” and looks “forward to ultimate victory on the issue.”

The judge’s order is stayed until Monday to allow time for appeal, underscoring the ongoing legal battle over executive authority and the use of state troops for domestic federal operations.

The outcome could reverberate as similar cases involving National Guard deployments in cities like Chicago and Portland wind through higher courts.

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