Fact Check: "California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the troop deployment a 'serious breach of state sovereignty' and a power grab by Trump."
What We Know
California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly criticized President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, describing it as a "serious breach of state sovereignty." In a letter to Trump, Newsom urged the president to rescind the deployment, asserting that it represented an overreach of federal power and likening the situation to actions taken by "authoritarian regimes" (AP News, Washington Post).
Newsom's comments came amid escalating tensions related to protests over immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area, which prompted Trump to activate over 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines without the governor's consent. Newsom characterized this military action as an attempt by Trump to exert control over state matters, further stating that "democracy is under assault" (AP News, Newsweek).
Analysis
The claim that Governor Newsom referred to the troop deployment as a "serious breach of state sovereignty" is substantiated by multiple reputable sources. Both the Associated Press and the Washington Post reported on Newsom's letter to Trump, where he explicitly used this phrase to describe the deployment of National Guard troops (AP News, Washington Post).
Additionally, Newsom's broader characterization of Trump's actions as a "power grab" aligns with his statements made during interviews and public addresses, where he emphasized the dangers of federal overreach and the implications for democracy (AP News, Newsweek).
The sources used in this fact-check are credible and well-established news organizations, which typically adhere to journalistic standards of accuracy and fairness. There is no indication of bias in the reporting of Newsom's statements, as both sides of the political spectrum have been covered in the context of this dispute.
Conclusion
The claim that California Governor Gavin Newsom called the troop deployment a "serious breach of state sovereignty" and characterized it as a power grab by Trump is True. This assertion is directly supported by Newsom's own statements and is corroborated by multiple reputable news sources.