President Trump faced a fresh setback this week as a federal judge blocked his administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles—just days before large-scale protests are expected to erupt across the United States.
The ruling, issued by Senior District Judge Charles R. Breyer, delivered a stinging rebuke to the President’s aggressive use of federal authority, branding it an overreach that “sets a dangerous precedent for future domestic military activity.” While the Trump administration has filed an appeal, the temporary injunction has added fuel to a protest movement already simmering with discontent.
The backdrop is a nation on edge. Anger over immigration raids, military deployments, and President Trump’s strident rhetoric has spilled into the streets of major cities, with rallies already underway and a mass mobilisation—dubbed “No Kings Day”—scheduled for Saturday. The protest, which directly challenges what organisers describe as the president’s “imperial ambitions,” will coincide with an ostentatious military parade planned by the White House in Washington.
Though the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has permitted the National Guard to remain in Los Angeles until Tuesday, it will rule on the legality of Trump’s action in the coming days. In the meantime, hundreds of Marines—deployed separately and not covered by Judge Breyer’s order—remain stationed near the city, raising tensions ahead of the weekend.
In his ruling, Judge Breyer wrote that the deployment had “no compelling justification under existing law” and amounted to “a distortion of the National Guard’s purpose for political gain.” The statement struck a chord with critics of the administration, who have long accused Trump of using military symbolism to bolster his image during times of political pressure.
Legal scholars have also raised alarm. “The danger here is not just about Los Angeles,” said Professor Amelia Horowitz of Georgetown Law. “This is about the line between civilian governance and martial rule. Judge Breyer recognised that—and put a clear marker down.”
The President, unsurprisingly, took to social media to denounce the decision, calling it “a disgraceful move by an activist judge” and insisting that the deployment was necessary to “restore law and order in our cities.” But images from Thursday evening painted a different picture: peaceful demonstrators in Los Angeles holding signs, singing, and dispersing quietly as the city’s 9 p.m. curfew took effect.
Protests also swept across the country on Thursday, from New York to Seattle. In Portland, immigration enforcement officers resorted to pepper spray and tear gas after demonstrators surrounded a federal detention facility and, in some cases, pelted its gates with rocks. But for the most part, the protests remained calm and orderly.
In Chicago, thousands marched through the Loop, chanting slogans against what they described as the militarisation of domestic policy. In New York, a smaller crowd gathered near Foley Square, waving banners demanding an end to federal raids and military deployments.
The protests are part of a broader groundswell of opposition to what many see as Trump’s increasingly authoritarian posture. Critics point to his use of federal law enforcement in cities, his fondness for military pageantry, and now the attempted domestic use of National Guard troops as evidence that the President is eroding constitutional norms.
Trump’s military parade, scheduled for Saturday in Washington, has only deepened the divide. While supporters hail it as a patriotic display of strength, detractors argue it is an expensive vanity project at odds with democratic tradition.
“It’s no coincidence that the parade falls on the same day as ‘No Kings Day,’” said Jessica Ramirez, one of the organisers of the nationwide protests. “This is about reminding the President—and the country—that America is a republic, not a monarchy.”
With tensions running high, city authorities are bracing for a volatile weekend. Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has extended curfews and issued calls for calm. So far, her appeals appear to be working. Thursday night’s demonstrations ended peacefully, a contrast to earlier in the week when scuffles broke out and multiple arrests were made.
Still, the presence of uniformed troops on American streets—Guard or Marine—remains a deeply contentious issue. As the nation prepares for what could be the most politically charged weekend of protests in years, Trump finds himself in an uncomfortable position: challenged not only by the crowds in the streets but also by the courts.
Judge Breyer’s order may not have removed the troops yet, but it has done something perhaps more significant—it has drawn a legal line in the sand. Whether Trump chooses to cross it again could define not just the fate of this weekend’s protests, but the future balance of power between the executive branch and the American people.
Image: GROK.
