After Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has been teasing since Sunday night that he would sue the Trump administration and even dared Tom Homan to arrest him, California Attorney General Rob Bonta did just that on Monday afternoon. Chaos over the weekend from anti-ICE, pro-illegal immigrant riots, with even pro-terrorist chants, necessitated President Donald Trump sending in the National Guard. It was a move that Newsom was none too pleased with.
Bonta seems to be echoing that displeasure, as he spoke about how the "order abused the federal government's authority and violated the Tenth Amendment and federal law." The state attorney general also claimed that it was "an order that skipped over multiple, rational, common sense, strategic steps that should have been deployed to quell unrest and prevent escalation."
That's when Bonta formally announced the lawsuit. "As a result, I, in partnership with Governor Gavin Newsom are suing President Trump and asking the court to set aside the president's action federalizing the California National Guard."
🚨BREAKING NEWS: California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces that he — along with Gavin Newsom — is SUING PRESIDENT TRUMP!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 9, 2025
They'll defend criminals, illegals, & rioters.
Then they'll do everything they can to stop those trying to maintain law & order. pic.twitter.com/NgIvC2WviP
A press release from Bonta's website also names Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and includes a lengthy statement from the attorney general, with even more grandstanding than the media appearance above.
"President Trump’s order calling federalized National Guard troops into Los Angeles – over the objections of the Governor and local law enforcement – is unnecessary and counterproductive. It’s also deeply unfair to the members of the National Guard who are hard at work every day protecting our state, preparing for and responding to emergencies, and training so that, if called, they can fight our nation’s wars," said Bonta. "Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President’s authority under the law – and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order."
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Newsom also felt the need to weigh in further. "Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic," he claimed. "Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach. This is beyond incompetence — this is him intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities, and endangering the principles of our great democracy. It is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism. We will not let this stand."
The release mentioned further details about the nature of the lawsuit:
In a lawsuit being filed today, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom will ask the court to hold that the President and Department of Defense’s orders federalizing the California National Guard are unlawful, arguing that:
- The federalization of the California National Guard deprives California of resources to protect itself and its citizens, and of critical responders in the event of a state emergency.
- 10 U.S.C. 12406 requires that the Governor consent to federalization of the National Guard, which Governor Newsom was not given the opportunity to do prior to their deployment.
- The President’s unlawful order infringes on Governor Newsom’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard and violates the state’s sovereign right to control and have available its National Guard in the absence of a lawful invocation of federal power.
When it comes to Bonta's points about the steps that should have been taken before it got the point where Trump needed to send in the National Guard, Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acted in a particularly unacceptable manner, putting out narratives over social media and in media appearances that stood up for illegal immigrants and focused on blaming the Trump administration.
Bonta's narrative is a pattern of far-left Democrats in the state who are seeking to go after Trump and his administration for the violence, not merely with Newsom and Bass, but also former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Eric Swalwell with their delusional narratives about this weekend's riots.
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