Fact Check: "On June 14, 2025, a federal judge ordered President Trump to end his unilateral deployment of the National Guard in California, but an appeals court temporarily preserved his ability to do so."
What We Know
On June 13, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that President Trump had illegally seized control of the California National Guard, ordering him to return command to California Governor Gavin Newsom. The judge's ruling stated that Trump's actions violated both statutory authority and the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which delineates the powers of state and federal governments (source-1). The ruling would have taken effect at noon on June 14, 2025.
However, on the same day, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary stay on Judge Breyer's order, allowing Trump to maintain control over the National Guard troops in California while the legal proceedings continued (source-2). The appeals court's decision was made just hours before the judge's order was set to take effect, indicating a significant legal back-and-forth regarding the deployment of the National Guard amid ongoing protests related to federal immigration actions in Los Angeles.
Analysis
The claim that a federal judge ordered President Trump to end his deployment of the National Guard in California is accurate, as Judge Breyer's ruling explicitly stated that Trump's actions were illegal and ordered a return of control to the state. However, the subsequent action by the appeals court to temporarily block this ruling complicates the situation.
The reliability of the sources reporting on this event is high. The New York Times, Associated Press, and other major news outlets provided detailed accounts of the court proceedings and the legal implications of the rulings (source-1, source-2). These sources are known for their journalistic integrity and thorough reporting on legal matters.
The appeals court's decision to stay the ruling reflects a common legal practice where higher courts may intervene to maintain the status quo while a case is under review. This does not negate the initial ruling but indicates that the legal battle is ongoing and that the situation remains fluid.
Conclusion
The claim is True. A federal judge did order President Trump to end his unilateral deployment of the National Guard in California, but an appeals court subsequently issued a temporary stay on this order, allowing Trump to retain control of the troops for the time being. This sequence of events highlights the complexities of legal authority and the ongoing tensions between state and federal powers.
Sources
- What's Next for Trump and the National Guard in California After Court ... (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/trumps-national-guard-court-rulings.html)
- Appeals court temporarily blocks judge's ruling to return control of ... (https://apnews.com/article/california-immigration-national-guard-newsom-trump-lawsuit-aedf8cdd95ee899c9559d5e54a2e4833)
- Appeals court allows Trump to keep National Guard in L.A. ... (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/marines-prepare-los-angeles-deployment-protests-spread-across-us-2025-06-12/)
- Appeals court temporarily allows Trump to keep National ... (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd62d8jp046o)
- Appeals court says Trump can keep California National Guard deployed ... (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/06/12/newsom-trump-court-ruling-military-la/)
- Appeals court temporarily blocks judge's ruling to return ... - PBS (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/appeals-court-temporarily-blocks-judges-ruling-to-return-control-of-national-guard-to-california)
- June-nimeä käyttää 67 ihmistä Suomessa (https://kuopassa.net/nimet/naiset/june)
- Appeals court temporarily lifts judge's block on Trump's National Guard ... (https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5348353-appeals-court-temporarily-lifts-judges-block-on-trumps-national-guard-deployment/)
