SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge blocked the administration from deploying that state’s guard to Portland, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom pledged Sunday to fight the move in court.
There was no official announcement from Washington that the California National Guard was being called up and sent to Oregon, similar to the situation when Illinois’ governor made a comparable announcement about troops from his state being activated.
Newsom, a Democrat, described the deployment as a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. He stated, The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States.
A Trump-appointed federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to deploy the Oregon National Guard in Portland to protect federal property amid protests, after Trump characterized the city as “war-ravaged.” This depiction has been ridiculed by Oregon officials and local residents alike.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut stated that the protests in Portland, which have been relatively small, did not warrant federal intervention and allowing the deployment could undermine Oregon’s sovereignty. The ICE building in Portland has been a focal point for nightly protests.
Trump has associated both Portland and Chicago with high crime and unrest, suggesting the need for an apocalyptic force to address the issues in Chicago. Since the onset of his second term, he has indicated plans to send troops to ten cities. He similarly authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops over the weekend to safeguard federal officers and property in Chicago.
Newsom pledged Sunday to fight the move in court.
There was no official announcement from Washington that the California National Guard was being called up and sent to Oregon, similar to the situation when Illinois’ governor made a comparable announcement about troops from his state being activated.
Newsom, a Democrat, described the deployment as a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. He stated, The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States.
A Trump-appointed federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to deploy the Oregon National Guard in Portland to protect federal property amid protests, after Trump characterized the city as “war-ravaged.” This depiction has been ridiculed by Oregon officials and local residents alike.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut stated that the protests in Portland, which have been relatively small, did not warrant federal intervention and allowing the deployment could undermine Oregon’s sovereignty. The ICE building in Portland has been a focal point for nightly protests.
Trump has associated both Portland and Chicago with high crime and unrest, suggesting the need for an apocalyptic force to address the issues in Chicago. Since the onset of his second term, he has indicated plans to send troops to ten cities. He similarly authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops over the weekend to safeguard federal officers and property in Chicago.
