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A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's administration from deploying National Guard units to Oregon late Sunday (October 5) night, the Associated Press reports.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order sought by Oregon and California after Trump had mobilized hundreds of California National Guard troops to Portland hours in response to Immergut's previous decision to block him from using Oregon's National Guard in the city.
“How could bringing in federalized National Guard from California not be in direct contravention to the temporary restraining order I issued yesterday?” said Immergut, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, while questioning the federal government's attorney.
“Aren’t defendants simply circumventing my order?” she added later. “Why is this appropriate?”
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement on Sunday claiming he would sue Trump's administration after it federalized 300 California National Guard troops to be deployed to Oregon, which occurred one day after Immergut blocked the president's attempt to deploy Oregon National Guard troops in Portland.
“In response to a federal court order that blocked his attempt to federalize the Oregon National Guard, President Trump is deploying 300 California National Guard personnel into Oregon. They are on their way there now," Newsom said in the statement obtained by NBC News. "This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words — ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents."
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson issued a statement confirming the deploying of the California National Guard troops to Oregon, referring to Newsom as "Gavin Newscum," a nickname commonly used by Trump when referring to the governor.
“President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement. For once, Gavin Newscum should stand on the side of law-abiding citizens instead of violent criminals destroying Portland and cities across the country," Jackson said via NBC News.
Trump has repeatedly clashed with Democratic governors and mayors over his deployment of National Guard troops into several major cities, which included Illinois Gov. JB Prtizker criticizing Trump's decision to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago on Saturday (October 4). Trump had previously sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and threatened to take similar action in Baltimore and New Orleans.