Landmark trial kicks off over Trump's use of US military in policing role
The three-day non-jury trial before US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco will determine if the government violated a 19th-century law that bars the military from civil law enforcement when it deployed troops to Los Angeles in June.
Los Angeles suffered days of unrest and protests sparked by mass immigration raids at places where people gather to find work, such as Home Depot stores, a garment factory and a warehouse.
The administration denies troops were used in civil law enforcement and plans to show they were protecting federal property and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Many of the troops have been withdrawn, but California said in recent court papers that 2,000 National Guard members are still going on immigration raids and restricting civilian movements in the state. A ruling against the government could restrict those troops' activities and constrain President Donald Trump if he tries to deploy troops to police American cities in the future.
Trump said on Wednesday he might send the National Guard, a reserve force that answers to both state governors and the president, to patrol Washington, D.C., a city he said was "very unsafe".
California and its Governor Gavin Newsom have asked Breyer to prohibit the troops from directly participating in domestic law enforcement activities. California and Newsom say the National Guard is accompanying ICE agents on raids and assisting in arrests, in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 and other laws that forbid the US military from taking part in civilian law enforcement.
Trump ordered 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June against Newsom's wishes. Trump's decision to send troops into Los Angeles prompted a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and inflamed political tension in the country's second-most populous city.
California sued the Trump administration over the troop deployment, arguing it violates federal law and state sovereignty. A US appeals court has allowed Trump to retain control of California's National Guard during the legal challenge.
California's lawsuit ultimately seeks a ruling that would return its National Guard troops to state control and a declaration that Trump's action was illegal.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
14 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
'Liberation Day': Trump sends troops to US capital, eyes New York and Chicago next
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump on Monday deployed military and federal law enforcement to curb violent crime in Washington, seeking to cement his claim to be a "law and order" president with a crackdown that he said could be expanded to other major US cities. The Republican leader said he would place the capital's Metropolitan Police under federal government control while also sending the National Guard onto the streets of the US capital. The overwhelmingly Democratic city faces allegations from Republican politicians that it is overrun by crime, plagued by homelessness and financially mismanaged – although violent offenses are down. "This is Liberation Day in DC, and we're going to take our capital back," the president told reporters at the White House. Trump – a convicted felon who granted blanket clemency to nearly 1,600 people involved in the 2021 US Capitol riot in Washington – has complained that local police and prosecutors aren't tough enough. The administration says 800 DC National Guardsmen – potentially backed up by other "specialised" Guard units – will be deployed to the city of 700,000. The move was slammed by Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who said the aim was to "further the personal and political agenda of a wannabe king." Richard Stengel, a former undersecretary of state in Barack Obama's administration, pointed out that Washington is not among the most dangerous US cities. "Throughout history, autocrats use a false pretext to impose government control over local law enforcement as a prelude to a more national takeover," he posted on X. "That's far more dangerous than the situation he says he is fixing." As Trump was speaking at the White House, several dozen demonstrators gathered outside. "There is absolutely no need for the National Guard here," said 62-year-old retiree Elizabeth Critchley, who brandished a sign with the slogan "DC says freedom not fascism." The new approach echoes Trump's aggressive policies that have effectively sealed the southern border amid mass deportations while deploying active-duty troops against protesters in Los Angeles. The president told reporters he planned to roll out the policy to other cities, spotlighting New York and Chicago. Unlike the 50 states, Washington operates under a unique relationship with the federal government that limits its autonomy and grants Congress extraordinary control over local matters. Since the mid-1970s, the Home Rule Act has allowed residents to elect a mayor and a city council, although Congress still controls the city's budget. Data from Washington police show significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, although that was coming off the back of a post-pandemic surge. Trump posted on social media ahead of the news conference that he also wants to tackle homeless encampments, after signing an order last month making it easier to arrest rough sleepers. Federal law enforcement have already increased their presence after a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer was beaten during an attempted carjacking. "Last week my administration surged 500 federal agents into the district including from the FBI, ATF, DEA, Park Police, the US Marshals Service, the Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security," Trump said. "You know a lot of nations, they don't have anything like that... They made dozens of arrests." A Gallup poll in October found that 64 per cent of Americans believed crime had risen in 2024, although FBI data shows the lowest levels of violent crime nationwide in more than half a century. Federal law allows Trump to control Washington's police for 30 days, while a longer period would require authorisation from Congress, which Democrats would likely block. The city's Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser has not explicitly criticised Trump over the federal takeover, but she pushed back on White House claims of spiraling crime, noting the recent decrease.
New Straits Times
14 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Trump hits pause on China tariff hike, 90-day truce in play
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump reportedly signed an order delaying the reimposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods on Monday, hours before a trade truce between Washington and Beijing was due to expire. The halt on steeper tariffs will be in place for another 90 days, the Wall Street Journal and CNBC reported, citing Trump administration officials. The White House did not respond to queries on the matter. While the United States and China slapped escalating tariffs on each other's products this year, reaching prohibitive triple-digit levels and snarling trade, both countries in May agreed to temporarily lower them. But their 90-day halt of steeper levies was due to expire Tuesday. Asked about the deadline earlier Monday, Trump said: "We'll see what happens. They've been dealing quite nicely. The relationship is very good with President Xi (Jinping) and myself." Trump also touted the tariff revenue his country has collected since his return to the White House, saying "we've been dealing very nicely with China." "We hope that the US will work with China to follow the important consensus reached during the phone call between the two heads of state," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in a statement. He added that Beijing also hopes Washington will "strive for positive outcomes on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit." The full text of Trump's latest order has yet to be released. The 90-day extension means the truce is set to expire in early November, according to the Wall Street Journal. Even as both countries reached a pact to cool tensions after high level talks in Geneva in May, the de-escalation has been shaky. In June, key economic officials convened in London as disagreements emerged and US officials accused their counterparts of violating the pact. Policymakers met again in Stockholm last month. US trade envoy Jamieson Greer said last month that Trump will have the "final call" on any such extension. Trump said in a social media post late Sunday that he hoped China will "quickly quadruple its soybean orders," adding that this would be a way to balance trade with the United States. For now, the extension of a truce means that US tariffs on Chinese goods this year stand at 30 per cent. Under their de-escalation, Beijing's corresponding levy on US products stood at 10 per cent. Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has slapped a 10-per cent "reciprocal" tariff on almost all trading partners, aimed at addressing trade practices Washington deemed unfair. This surged to varying steeper levels last Thursday for dozens of economies. Major partners like the European Union, Japan and South Korea now see a 15-per cent US duty on many products, while the level went as high as 41 per cent for Syria. The "reciprocal" tariffs exclude sectors that have been separately targeted, such as steel and aluminium, and those that are being investigated like pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. They are also expected to exclude gold, although a clarification by US customs authorities made public last week caused concern that certain gold bars might still be targeted. Trump on Monday said that gold imports will not face additional tariffs, without providing further details. The US president has taken separate aim at individual countries such as Brazil over the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of planning a coup, and India over its purchase of Russian oil.
New Straits Times
14 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Trump to test Putin's stance in Alaska summit
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday described his upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin as a "feel-out meeting" to gauge his ideas for ending the war in Ukraine, as European leaders rushed to ensure respect for Kyiv's interests. Trump has invited his Russian counterpart to Alaska on Friday – the first face-to-face meeting between the two countries' presidents since Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022 – as he criticises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rejecting territorial concessions. Fearing privately that Putin will team up with Trump to force unacceptable compromises, European leaders plan to speak separately Wednesday with both Zelenskyy and Trump. The US president has spent the first months of his second term in office trying to broker peace in Ukraine – after boasting he could end the conflict in 24 hours – but multiple rounds of talks, phone calls and diplomatic visits have failed to yield a breakthrough. Trump, usually fond of boasting of his deal-making skills, played down possibilities of a breakthrough in Alaska but said he expected "constructive conversations" with Putin. "This is really a feel-out meeting a little bit," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We're going to see what he has in mind and if it's a fair deal, I'll reveal it to the European Union leaders and to Nato leaders and also to President Zelenskyy," Trump said. "I may say – lots of luck, keep fighting. Or I may say, we can make a deal." Zelenskyy has ruled out ceding territory seized by force. Trump – who publicly berated Zelenskyy at a White House meeting in February – said he was a "little bothered" by Zelenskyy's stance and insisted land swaps would need to take place. "There'll be some swapping, there'll be some changes in land," he said. But Trump said he would also tell Putin that "you've got to end this war." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited the French, British and other European leaders and the EU and Nato chiefs to virtual talks on Wednesday. Merz's office said Monday the video conference in various rounds of talks would discuss "further options to exert pressure on Russia" and "preparation of possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security." EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and also examined imposing a 19th package of sanctions on Russia since the invasion. Until Russia agrees to a "full and unconditional ceasefire, we should not even discuss any concessions," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after the talks. "It has never worked in the past with Russia, and will not work with Putin today." Zelenskyy again warned against capitulating to Putin's demands. "Russia refuses to stop the killings, and therefore must not receive any rewards or benefits. And this is not just a moral position – it is a rational one," Zelenskyy wrote in a statement published on social media. "Concessions do not persuade a killer," he added. Asked Sunday on CNN if Zelenskyy could be present at the Alaska summit, US Ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker responded, "Yes, I certainly think it's possible." Trump, asked Monday about inviting Zelenskyy to Alaska, suggested the Ukrainian leader would be involved in talks at a future date. "I'll be there if they need, but I want to have a meeting set up between the two leaders," he said. It remains unclear if Putin would accept a meeting with Zelenskyy, who has publicly dared him to negotiate. As a prerequisite to a peace settlement, the Kremlin has demanded Kyiv pull its forces out of several regions claimed by Moscow and embrace sweeping demands – including committing to being a neutral state excluded from Nato and shunning US and European military support. Both sides have stepped up aerial assaults, with Ukraine claiming to have hit a facility that produces missile components in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region. Local authorities said one person died in the attack and two were wounded.
