Governor: Keep National Guard Focused on Real Threats

You’ve seen the footage: National Guard troops flooding the streets of Los Angeles, peaceful protesters met with tear gas and rubber bullets, parents shielding children on their way to school. What sparked it all—federal immigration raids that go far beyond arresting violent undocumented people. These were indiscriminate sweeps of laborers, students, and families. They were designed to provoke fear, not ensure safety. President Trump’s order to deploy National Guard troops without Governor Newsom’s request violates long-standing constitutional norms and state sovereignty. Legal scholars from both parties agree—it’s the first unauthorized federalization of the Guard in over 60 years. And it’s not just about the Guard. It’s about a broader pattern: mass deportation plans, attacks on the free press, politicized DOJ, and an administration bent on eroding democratic checks and balances. Trump calls Americans who dissent “radical-left lunatics.” We are not radicals, we are humans, we are Americans. People are marching in the streets because they see what’s happening. They know that democracy does not survive on silence. They are standing up because Trump’s actions—his rhetoric, his lies, his raids, his authoritarian posturing—pose a real threat to freedom, safety, and the values we share as Americans. And while this administration fuels fear and division, real threats go unchecked—like Chinese nationals smuggling suspected bioweapons, or violent plots against Jewish communities. National security is not served by chasing headlines. It’s protected by focused, strategic leadership that puts facts and public safety first. You have a choice. You can stay silent—or you can lead. We urge you to join other governors in publicly rejecting this federal overreach. Reassert state authority over the National Guard. Pass or support resolutions that protect peaceful protest and oppose warrantless immigration raids that tear communities apart. Stand for democratic values, not political fear. This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about patriotism. It’s about ensuring that future generations inherit a country governed by the rule of law, not ruled by force.