A war of words has erupted between Texas Senator Ted Cruz and California Governor Gavin Newsom, amplifying the contentious deployment of approximately 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump.
The move, made over the direct objections of Governor Newsom, has ignited a significant power struggle between the White House and the Democratic-led state, raising profound questions about presidential authority and state sovereignty.
Trump asserted the deployment was essential to “address the lawlessness” gripping the city. Governor Newsom fired back, accusing the President of a gross overreach of power.
READ: U.S. House Speaker Johnson Backs “Real Leadership” Amid California Immigration Fury
“I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and return them to my command,” Newsom posted on the social media platform X. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed. Rescind the order. Return control to California.”
Senator Cruz then savaged Newsom’s position, translating the governor’s words, “I have formally requested the President stop enforcing federal law in CA,” the purported statement reads. “In the Golden State, we embrace lawlessness. We welcome rioters & looters, & we want even MORE illegal aliens & gang members. We handcuff our police & celebrate our criminals. And we hate [the American Flag].”
The federalization of a state’s National Guard against a governor’s will is a rare and legally contentious act. The White House has reportedly invoked a provision of federal law, rather than the more notorious Insurrection Act, to justify its command of California’s troops.
READ: Oklahoma Sen. Lankford Defends Trump’s National Guard Deployment In California “Overwhelmed”
Typically, the National Guard operates as a state-controlled force under the governor’s command. This move by the President bypasses that authority, asserting direct federal control over the state’s military resources against the wishes of its elected state leaders.
Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, defending President Trump’s decision to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops without a governor’s sign-off and addressing a range of pressing national and international issues.
Senator Lankford asserted that President Trump’s aim in deploying the National Guard is to “de-escalate all the tensions that are there.”
He cited scenes of “burning cars in intersections” and “concrete blocks being thrown at federal law enforcement,” drawing parallels to past unrest in Seattle and Portland.
Lankford argued that the deployment is intended to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, stating, “This is not going to take weeks this time.” He also criticized the presence of individuals “flying Mexican flags and saying, ‘You cannot arrest us,’” emphasizing that federal laws must be enforced.
READ: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker Blasts Trump, But Ignores Dem Rhetoric Fueling LA Chaos
When pressed by Kristen Welker about Governor Newsom’s assertion of “no unmet law enforcement need” and the LAPD’s characterization of protests as peaceful, Lankford maintained that local law enforcement is being “overwhelmed” by the scale of the protests.
He dismissed the idea of active-duty Marines being involved in direct law enforcement roles, suggesting they would be in “support roles.” Lankford attributed some of the current challenges to “sanctuary city policies” in California, which he claims encourage violations of federal law.
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