Judge Rules Trump's D.C. National Guard Deployment Unlawful

A federal judge in Washington ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to combat crime in the nation's capital is unlawful, ordering the administration to end the monthslong operation while pausing the decision for 21 days to allow an appeal.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb determined that the deployment violates the District of Columbia's Home Rule Act and exceeds the president's authority under federal law. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in September by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who argued that the White House's actions intrude on local officials' control over law enforcement without the mayor's consent. Cobb specified that while the president has powers to protect federal property and functions, he cannot unilaterally deploy the D.C. National Guard or call in troops from other states for general crime deterrence.

The deployment began in August when Trump issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington. Within weeks, more than 2,300 National Guard members from the district and eight states arrived to patrol city streets under the command of the Secretary of the Army. The administration also sent...