A recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has bolstered former President Donald Trump’s legal standing regarding his 2020 decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles amid violent riots. The court unanimously upheld the action, affirming that Trump “lawfully exercised his statutory authority.” CNN legal analyst Elie Honig described the decision as a “big win” for both Trump and presidential power, explaining that while courts can review executive actions, they must grant significant deference unless those actions are made in bad faith or are clearly unreasonable.

The riots followed ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, prompting Trump to send federal troops to restore order after incidents of arson and attacks on law enforcement. The ruling emphasized that courts cannot override a president’s decisions simply because they disagree with them. However, the decision drew sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who argued that Trump is “not above the law” and labeled the deployment of federal force an “authoritarian” move. Despite the political backlash, the court’s decision reinforces the president’s broad authority over national security and public safety measures, setting a precedent for how executive decisions are reviewed by the judiciary.