California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he is suing President Donald Trump over the deployment of 300 California National Guard members to Oregon. Newsom said the move by the Trump administration is “unapologetically attacking the rule of law” and defying court orders.
“They are on their way there now,” Newsom said in a press statement. “The Trump Administration is ignoring court orders and treating judges as political opponents, even those appointed by the President himself.”
The Pentagon confirmed the deployment later Sunday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that, “At the direction of the President, approximately 200 federalized members of the California National Guard are being reassigned from duty in the greater Los Angeles area to Portland, Oregon to support US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties, including enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property.”
Newsom’s lawsuit follows a federal judge blocking the Trump administration from deploying the Oregon National Guard to Portland. US District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that sending troops could inflame tensions rather than calm them. The order delays any deployment until at least October 18.
Portland officials noted that recent protests against federal immigration enforcement had been largely peaceful. Caroline Turco, the city’s senior deputy attorney, said there had been no violence against ICE officers for months, and recent protests were “sedate,” sometimes with fewer than a dozen participants.
“This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power,” Newsom said. “We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of reckless and authoritarian conduct by the President of the United States.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said the state is “quickly assessing our options and preparing to take legal action.” He added, “The President is obviously determined to deploy the military in American cities, absent facts or authority to do so. It is up to us and the courts to hold him accountable. That’s what we intend to do.”
The California National Guard referred questions to the Department of Defense, which declined to comment. The White House defended the deployment, saying, “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement. For once, Gavin Newsom should stand on the side of law-abiding citizens instead of violent criminals destroying Portland and cities across the country,” according to Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson.
The Oregon deployment comes a day after Trump sent National Guard troops to Chicago, part of a series of interventions across multiple states. Trump initially announced the Portland deployment on September 27, saying he was “authorizing full force, if necessary,” despite objections from Oregon officials and members of Congress.
Trump has repeatedly described Portland as a “war-ravaged” city, citing small protests against ICE as justification for sending troops. During his first term in 2020, he deployed federal forces to the city amid nationwide protests following George Floyd’s murder.
Newsom criticized the latest deployment, calling it “appalling, un-American, and must be stopped,” reinforcing his commitment to challenge the administration’s actions in court. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities over the use of military forces in domestic cities and raises questions about executive authority and civil liberties.
