5 things to know about LA immigration protests, Trump deploying National Guard, Marines

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, June 09, 2025

5. Newsom threatens to sue over National Guard deployment

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that his office plans to sue the Trump administration for deploying the California National Guard, which he said the administration did without consulting him. 

"Donald Trump is putting fuel on this fire. Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral," Newsom wrote in a Sunday X post. "California will be taking him to court." 

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In a Monday interview with MSNBC, Newsom said that the lawsuit would challenge the Trump administration's authority to deploy the National Guard to quell the Los Angeles riots without the state's consent. 

"Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. He's exacerbated the conditions," the California governor stated. "He's, you know, lit the proverbial match. He's putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard — an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act."

"And we're going to test that theory with a lawsuit tomorrow," he added.

President Trump declared in a Monday Truth Social post that Los Angeles is "looking really bad."

About 300 National Guard Members were deployed in the city to help counter what Trump referred to as "insurrectionist mobs," as The Hill reported on Sunday.

Trump also addressed remarks from Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, who said that officers were "overwhelmed" as clashes between the demonstrators and the police escalated over the weekend. 

"Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would 'have to reassess the situation,' as it pertains to bringing in the troops," Trump said in a Monday post on Truth Social. 

"He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don't let these thugs get away with this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" the president added. 

Speaking with media at the White House Monday, Trump defended his actions. 

"You watch same clips I did: cars burning, people rioting, we stopped it," Trump said.

"If we didn't do the job, that place would be burning down just like the houses," he added in an apparent reference to the state's struggle with wildfires.