On Monday, President Donald Trump expressed his support for the arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing him of obstructing federal immigration enforcement efforts in Los Angeles.
This statement by Trump coincided with a planned lawsuit by Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the deployment of National Guard troops to manage civil unrest related to immigration enforcement operations.
The lawsuit seeks a judicial ruling declaring Trump’s federalization of the California National Guard as unlawful and aims to nullify the president’s order.
This deployment marks the first occasion since 1965 that a president has mobilized a state’s National Guard without a governor’s request.
Bonta expressed confidence in their legal case during a press conference, stating, “We have a winning case here.”
In a social media post, Newsom condemned Trump’s actions, stating that they “flamed the fires” and illegally sought to federalize the National Guard. He warned that the order could set a precedent allowing the president to deploy National Guard troops in any state.
Newsom declared, “We’re suing him.”
Bonta emphasized in his statement that Trump’s order failed to meet the legal criteria for federalizing the National Guard, stating, “Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion.” He further accused the president of creating chaos to serve his political agenda.
Trump’s comments regarding Newsom’s potential arrest were made in response to remarks from Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, who threatened to arrest Newsom and others obstructing immigration enforcement in California. Trump remarked, “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity but I think it would be a great thing.”
Newsom responded on Twitter, writing, “The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.” He cautioned against crossing such a line, describing it as a move toward authoritarianism.
In a separate incident, federal prosecutors charged labor leader David Huerta with felony conspiracy to impede an officer. Huerta, who is the president of SEUI California, was arrested on Friday during a protest in Los Angeles and is scheduled to appear in federal court later on Monday.
On Sunday, Governor Newsom called on Trump to reassign the California National Guard away from protest sites in Los Angeles, following Trump’s order to send 2,000 troops to the area.
Newsom remarked, “This is a preview of things to come,” during an interview with Brian Taylor Cohen, which he shared in a tweet about the lawsuit. He expressed that the issue transcends Los Angeles, noting, “It’s about us today, it’s about you, everyone watching tomorrow.”
Pointing to Trump’s erratic behavior, Newsom declared, “This guy is unhinged. Trump is unhinged right now, and this is just another proof point of that.”
In defense of his decision, Trump took to social media on Monday, stating, “We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California.” He further claimed that without this intervention, Los Angeles would have faced severe devastation.
Trump labeled Newsom “incompetent,” and criticized both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for not expressing gratitude for the federal assistance. He commented, “Instead, they choose to lie to the People of California and America by saying that we weren’t needed, and that these are ‘peaceful protests.’ Just one look at the pictures and videos of the Violence and Destruction tells you all you have to know.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, accused Trump of using the National Guard deployment as a distraction amid a political battle with Elon Musk and other legislative challenges. Schumer described the order as unnecessary and called for Trump to rescind it. “Americans do not need or deserve this unnecessary and provocative chaos,” he stated.
This is developing news. Check back for updates.
