Newsom Threatens to Sue Trump Over Plan to Send Troops to San Francisco

• Newsom threatens to sue Trump
• Trump insists on sending troops
• California defends its autonomy

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stern warning to President Donald Trump: if the White House follows through with its threat to send National Guard troops to San Francisco, his administration will respond with an immediate lawsuit.

The political tension between the two leaders has reached a new boiling point, marked by accusations of power abuse and constitutional violations.

Newsom challenges presidential authority and threatens to sue Trump

Trump’s threat

During a White House press conference, President Trump suggested he might deploy federal troops to San Francisco.

His reasoning: allegedly high crime rates and what he described as local authorities’ failure to control illegal immigration.

Since September, the president has ordered similar federal operations in cities such as Chicago, where more than 1,500 people — most of them undocumented migrants — have been arrested.
According to Trump, such measures are necessary to “restore order.”

Governor Gavin Newsom’s response

Gavin Newsom, one of Trump’s strongest Democratic critics, called the move a “direct attack on the rule of law.”

In an official statement, he said he would not allow “abuse of power” and that California is ready to defend itself.

“The president is mistaken if he thinks he can act without limits,” he declared.

He also emphasized that deploying troops without civilian oversight poses a serious threat to individual freedoms and state autonomy.

The attorney general’s stance

California Attorney General Rob Bonta backed the governor’s position.

He stated there is “no legal justification whatsoever” for the deployment of troops in a peaceful city such as San Francisco.

“There is no invasion, no riots, no rebellion,” Bonta wrote in a public statement.

He stressed that any attempt to militarize the streets without legitimate cause would violate the U.S. Constitution and the federal balance of powers.

Political context of the conflict

Tensions between the Trump administration and the California government are nothing new.

Newsom has consistently opposed the president’s immigration and environmental policies, while Trump has repeatedly called California a “failed state” dominated by liberal interests.

In this latest clash, both leaders are seeking to assert strength before their political bases.

Newsom positions himself as a defender of legality and state rights, while Trump aims to project himself as the guardian of national security.

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What’s at stake

The potential deployment of troops to San Francisco could spark a national debate over the limits of presidential power.

If California proceeds with its lawsuit, the case could reach the Supreme Court, adding another chapter to the ongoing battle between the federal executive and state governments.

Beyond the political confrontation, the dispute reflects a deeper struggle over who controls the narrative:

Is security being used as an excuse to expand federal power — or is it truly a necessity in the face of local disorder?

SOURCE: EFE