The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to overturn U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer’s ruling, which had initially declared that the President of the United States lacks authority to federalize the California National Guard, has reaffirmed the scope of presidential power in times of crisis. Breyer’s original decision argued that President Donald Trump’s deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell protests over immigration raids violated the Tenth Amendment and Title 10, as the protests did not meet the threshold of a “rebellion” and the order bypassed Governor Gavin Newsom. The 9th Circuit’s reversal, however, validates Trump’s authority to act decisively under federal law when public safety is at stake, dealing a blow to state-level resistance and exposing the fragility of Democratic efforts to curb his agenda through the courts.

The Democrats’ push for this legal challenge, led by Newsom and California’s Attorney General, reeks of desperation, a symptom of their disarray following Trump’s sweeping 2024 victory. By framing Trump’s National Guard deployment as an authoritarian overstep, they aimed to score political points and rally their base, but the 9th Circuit’s ruling has left them empty-handed, their strategy unraveling. Newsom’s public warnings of “authoritarianism” and the lawsuit itself were less about constitutional principle and more about obstructing Trump’s immigration crackdown, which resonated with voters tired of urban unrest. This failed legal gambit only amplifies the perception of a party grasping at straws, unable to mount a unified response to Trump’s dominance and resorting to judicial battles that now risk strengthening his narrative of restoring order.

The notion that Democrats would pursue such a flimsy case—challenging the president’s ability to deploy the National Guard in a clear crisis—strikes many as not just misguided but politically suicidal. The overturned ruling undermines their claims of executive overreach, especially as Trump’s Truth Social post, “If I didn’t send the Military into Los Angeles, that city would be burning to the ground right now,” gains traction among supporters. The 9th Circuit’s decision, finalized before the scheduled June 17, 2025, hearing, shifts the narrative back to Trump’s favor, portraying him as a decisive leader against a backdrop of Democratic obstructionism. By betting on a legal technicality, Democrats have miscalculated, alienating voters who see stability as paramount and reinforcing their image as a party in chaos, outmaneuvered by a resurgent Trump.