Attorney General Rob Bonta said the administration – including the Department of Defense, led by Pete Hegseth – acted unlawfully when it federalized California National Guard troops. Normally, it falls to governors to call in the national guard.
“Trump and Hegseth jumped from zero to 60, bypassing law enforcement expertise and evaluation,” he said during a news conference on Monday. “They threw caution to the wind and sidelined strategy in an unnecessary and inflammatory escalation that only further spurred unrest.”
Trump on social media has claimed “violent, insurrectionist mobs” are attacking federal agents. In a statement on Saturday, the White House called California’s Democratic leaders “feckless” and said they had “completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.”
Bonta, on Monday, said the presence of national guard troops escalated violence over the weekend. The lawsuit was filed Monday afternoon.
The National Guard is usually called in at least with the consent of a governor.
Bonta said the exceptions to that rule are narrow — and the protests in Los Angeles didn’t meet them.
“There was no risk of rebellion, no threat of foreign invasion, no inability for the federal government to enforce federal laws,” he said.
Also Monday, CNN reported the Trump administration mobilized more than 700 Marines to respond to the protests. Newsom responded on X, saying that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be deployed.
“From our understanding, this is moving Marines from one base to another base,” he said. “The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented — mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens.”
Newsom also said in a press release that he would send state and regional law enforcement mutual aid to Los Angeles, including over 640 highway patrol officers and over 240 police officers from neighboring jurisdictions.
At least a couple dozen Democratic lawmakers spoke out in Sacramento against Trump’s initial move to send National Guard troops to Los Angeles, including several from the Los Angeles area who shared their experiences trying to keep up with growing reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in their districts.
Los Angeles Area Democratic Assembly member José Luis Solache was present at a protest where he said peaceful protestors were met with a violent response.
“You don't see weapons in my hand,” he said. “I had my phone. That's all I had. I was distracted by the phone when I was hit by gas. Never experienced that before.”
Trump claimed the move was necessary because “violent, insurrectionist mobs” had attacked federal agents.
Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said he doesn’t believe that was the motive.
“Trump wants chaos. He's stoking unrest, he's provoking fear, and he will do everything in his power to get it,” he said. “And for what exactly? To distract us. His economic policies are failing. Prices are way up. His tariffs are a failure.”
President Trump also expressed support for arresting Newsom and sending military troops to LA.
Newsom posted on X, “I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
Bonta said he sees Trump’s comment on the arrest as an empty threat.