‘A stone-cold liar’: Newsom exposes Trump’s made-up conversation as federal judge slams National Guard seizure

California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration clashed in federal court Thursday over the president’s unilateral deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. The dispute escalated when a federal judge initially ruled Trump’s actions unconstitutional, only to have the decision temporarily blocked by an appeals court hours later.

According to Politico, the legal battle began after Trump seized control of California’s National Guard troops to address protests over ICE raids in Los Angeles. Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the president’s authority to deploy the Guard without gubernatorial consent.

In a heated press conference outside the San Francisco federal courthouse, Newsom called Trump “a stone-cold liar” for claiming they had discussed the National Guard deployment in advance. “I would love to share the readout, but I revere the office of the presidency, so I’ll keep it in confidence. He is quite literally made up components of that conversation,” Newsom stated, adding that Trump never discussed the National Guard during their interaction.

Federal judge questions presidential authority in unprecedented Guard deployment

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who issued the initial temporary restraining order, strongly criticized the Trump administration’s argument that the president’s decisions as commander-in-chief cannot be questioned. The judge compared such reasoning to the rule of King George, emphasizing the importance of constitutional governance.

The deployment marks the first time since 1965’s civil rights era that a U.S. president has taken control of National Guard troops without a governor’s approval. Trump’s administration argued that the president didn’t need gubernatorial consent, citing resistance to federal immigration enforcement efforts and accusing local leadership of failing to control unrest.

Newsom defended local law enforcement’s handling of the situation, describing Trump’s intervention as “authoritarian” and an intentional attempt to provoke violence and justify executive power. The governor emphasized that the Guard’s reassignment had disrupted their regular duties, including border security, counter-drug enforcement, and forest management ahead of wildfire season.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked Judge Breyer’s order and scheduled a Tuesday hearing on the matter. Despite this setback, Newsom expressed confidence in the ultimate outcome, citing his faith in the Constitution and the federal judge’s reasoning. The governor maintained his position that there was “no invasion” or “rebellion” to justify Trump’s actions, calling the situation “absurd.”