The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in Illinois, while allowing federalization to remain in place. This decision follows the Trump administration’s appeal of a previous ruling that temporarily halted the deployment of troops. The action comes as President Trump considers using the Insurrection Act and has faced pushback from Democratic leaders in Illinois and Oregon, who are challenging the deployment of National Guard troops in their states through ongoing litigation. Furthermore, a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel in California is currently reviewing a similar case involving the deployment of National Guard troops in Oregon.
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Governor JB Pritzker criticized President Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, attributing it to a mental impairment and “something stuck in his head.” Pritzker announced that the state will address Trump’s actions in court. Trump, however, is exploring options to circumvent legal challenges, including using the Insurrection Act. Pritzker also threatened to leave the National Governors Association, citing its silence on Trump’s mobilizations, and defended the timing of the lawsuit against the National Guard deployments.
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Recent polls reveal a significant decline in President Trump’s approval ratings, with only 40 percent of Americans holding a favorable view, particularly following his controversial statements about deploying the National Guard. The Reuters/Ipsos poll also indicates that a majority of Americans do not support the president’s ability to deploy federal troops into states without the governor’s consent. This comes amidst Trump’s threats to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops into various cities, leading to clashes with state governors and accusations of politicizing the military. Despite these challenges, the president has continued to promote alternative polls, although their accuracy is disputed.
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President Trump claimed an “insurrection” was underway in Portland, Oregon, and suggested he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act to circumvent a judge’s order and deploy military troops. Despite his claims, city data shows homicides are down, and there were no reports of major unrest or violence. The president appears to be attempting to bypass legal challenges and deploy federal forces under the guise of quelling an uprising, echoing comments from other cities. A judge has ruled the administration used false claims of violence to justify the initial deployment of National Guard troops.
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The Independent’s reporting highlights a developing situation where the Trump administration is deploying federal law enforcement to Democratic-led cities, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker accusing the administration of using the situation as a pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act. Pritzker argues that Trump is exaggerating the violence in cities like Chicago to justify military intervention, a move that is facing legal challenges. Trump has stated he would consider invoking the Act if necessary, but the governor and other officials believe state and local police can handle any situation, and his actions appear to violate the Posse Comitatus Act. The Insurrection Act, which was last invoked in 1992, could suspend that Act, potentially allowing federal troops to enforce domestic law.
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Trump open to invoking the Insurrection Act is a chilling prospect that, frankly, feels like it’s been brewing for quite some time now. The idea that he might use this power to bypass the normal legal processes is deeply unsettling, especially considering the potential for abuse. It’s worth remembering that this Act was intended for situations where state authorities are unable or unwilling to maintain order, not as a tool for personal political gain.
It’s hard to ignore the sense that there’s a deliberate strategy at play. The rhetoric, the dog-whistles, the attempts to portray certain events as “insurrections”—it all seems designed to create the conditions where invoking the Act would be, at least in his mind, justifiable.… Continue reading
In response to President Trump’s plan to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a federal lawsuit on Sunday seeking to block the move. The lawsuit, filed in the name of the State of Oregon and City of Portland, argues that the deployment infringes on state and local sovereignty and violates federal law. The state and city maintain that the use of troops is unwarranted, especially given the limited size of recent protests, and they believe that the troops will escalate tensions and disrupt local law enforcement’s ability to manage the situation. The state will be seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent troop arrival.
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Following ICE raids in Los Angeles, protests erupted, prompting President Trump to illegally federalize the National Guard and deploy 2,000 Marines, despite Governor Newsom’s objection and the absence of any rebellion. This action, deemed unlawful by legal experts and military leaders, risks escalating the situation due to the Marines’ lack of crowd-control training. Newsom subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the deployment, while the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act further heightens concerns about the use of the military against civilians. This unprecedented mobilization presents a significant legal and ethical dilemma for service members.
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President Trump threatened forceful suppression of any protests against his planned military parade, describing potential protestors as “people who hate our country.” This threat follows his earlier consideration of invoking the Insurrection Act to address protests in Los Angeles, where he claims to have prevented widespread violence through the deployment of National Guard troops. He justified his actions by citing instances of violence at the protests and criticized California Governor Newsom’s handling of the situation. Trump views protests as personal affronts and has a history of advocating for the use of state violence against demonstrators.
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Over 700 Marines have been mobilized to Los Angeles, joining approximately 1,700 National Guard members already deployed. This deployment, ordered by President Trump without the consent of state or city officials, significantly escalates the military presence at the protests. The Marines’ specific role remains unclear, though they are expected to augment the National Guard and are prohibited from law enforcement unless the Insurrection Act is invoked. The action is unprecedented, with Governor Newsom calling it “unwarranted,” while the Marines’ deployment is described as supporting federal personnel and property.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood