LA protests: California Governor Newsom plans to sue Trump Administration over National Guard deployment

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over what he calls the “unlawful” deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles.

“This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom said in a post on X. “Rescind the order. Return control to California.”

In a formal letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Newsom demanded the immediate return of the troops, arguing that local law enforcement had sufficient resources to maintain order.

“At present, law enforcement authorities from the City and County of Los Angeles are safeguarding public safety,” the letter read, citing Saturday evening’s robust response to protests as proof.

Newsom: ‘Trump never mentioned troops’

Newsom also accused President Trump of misleading him during their recent phone call. “Trump never once mentioned the National Guard when we spoke on Friday,” the governor said Sunday night.

“It was a very civil conversation. I’ve always wanted to approach engagement with the President of the United States in a respectful and responsible way. But there’s no working with the president, there’s only working for him. And I will never work for Donald Trump.”

“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom wrote on X.

White House plans for larger troop presence

President Trump on Saturday authorised the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops, though only 300 had arrived in LA as of Sunday. The rest are reportedly on standby, waiting for further instructions.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon confirmed that 500 Marines based at Camp Pendleton are also on “prepared to deploy” status if the violence continues.

LAPD chief: ‘We are overwhelmed’

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell admitted Sunday that his officers are struggling to contain the situation.

“We are overwhelmed,” McDonnell said during a press briefing. “Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you.”

He described the level of violence as “disgusting” and said the protests were becoming “increasingly worse and more violent.”

Chaos on LA streets

Sunday marked the third consecutive day of unrest, with at least 2,000 rioters blocking the 101 Freeway, throwing concrete blocks, and setting fire to driverless Waymo vehicles.

At least three LAPD officers were injured and 27 people arrested. Two protesters reportedly rammed motorcycles into police lines.

Officers responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and pellets, which also struck journalists on the scene.

FBI offers reward, adds suspect to Most Wanted list

In a further federal escalation, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information on protesters who assaulted law enforcement officers over the weekend. One suspect has already been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list.

LA Mayor condemns Trump’s actions

LA Mayor Karen Bass also condemned the troop deployment, echoing Newsom’s stance. “Deploying federalized troops on the heels of these raids is a chaotic escalation,” she said.

Trump blasts Newsom and Bass

President Trump fired back at California leaders on Truth Social, calling Newsom “Governor Gavin Newscum” and dismissing the protests as “insurrection.”

“These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists,” Trump wrote. “Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done.”

“Looking really bad L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” the president added in a separate post late Sunday.