Trump deployment of military troops to Los Angeles was illegal, judge rules in blistering opinion

['Staff Writer', 'Sonja Sharp Is A Legal Affairs Reporter For The Los Angeles Times', 'A Founding Member Of The Society Of Disabled Journalists. Before Joining The Newsroom In', 'She Worked As An Nypd-Credentialed Member Of The New York City Press Corps', 'Writing Stranger-Than-Fiction Stories Of Crime', 'Culture For Vice', 'The Wall Street Journal', 'The Village Voice', 'Among Others. She Is A Bay Area Native', 'A Graduate Of Uc Berkeley'] Los Angeles Times 2025-09-02 00:00:00

A demonstrator walks in front of the California National Guard as they stand guard at a Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles in June. The decision is a major win for California and could have wide-ranging consequences for President Trump’s use of the military nationwide. “Today, the federal court ruled in favor of the people of Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Trump wants to be Lincoln.”The president has already signaled his intention to expand the use of the military. “Hopefully, L.A. is watching.”On Tuesday, he reiterated the threat, adding that he could soon deploy more troops to Los Angeles.