A military commander has discussed shifting some California National Guard troops away from the Trump administration’s weekslong deployment to deal with protests in Los Angeles so they can help fight wildfires, two U.S. officials told CBS News.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, the leader of U.S. Northern Command, made the request to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, proposing that 200 out of roughly 4,000 California National Guard members be moved from Los Angeles to wildfire duty elsewhere in California.
The request to shift some troops to wildfire duty was first reported by The Associated Press.
The purpose of the possible move is to help prepare for wildfire season, one U.S. official said. The other official said they could be placed on standby to respond to wildfires.
Wildfires can happen at any time of year in California, but they usually peak in the summer and fall. The state expects an “early and active season” this year, with above-average activity in July and August, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
The Los Angeles deployment has been controversial and subject to legal challenges. President Trump called up around 4,000 Guard members — and deployed around 700 Marines — over California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections, moves Mr. Trump argued were necessary to protect federal buildings and immigration agents from chaotic protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Newsom argued the deployment was illegal and unnecessary.
When Mr. Trump initially called up the California National Guard to deal with protests, the state had warned the move could interfere with its wildfire response. Guard forces often work alongside Cal Fire crews — and as wildfires become more frequent and severe, state officials have said more resources are needed. Newsom’s office said last week the Guard’s firefighting force was only at 40% capacity due to the Los Angeles deployment.
“This deployment comes when California is in the midst of peak wildfire season for both Northern and Southern California and may need to rely on their crucial support,” the state of California wrote in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the deployment.
A federal district court judge initially sided with the state in its lawsuit, but a panel of appellate court judges paused that ruling, allowing Mr. Trump to maintain control of the Guard.
The troops were shifted to federal service earlier this month under a law known as Title 10, which lets the president call up National Guard forces during a “rebellion” or if “the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.” The Trump administration argued those conditions were met due to threats of violence against immigration agents who carried out arrests in the Los Angeles area.
Newsom objected to the move, and the state quickly filed a lawsuit calling it a “power grab.” The state argued that under the law cited by the administration, Mr. Trump does not have the legal authority to call up the Guard without permission from the governor.
A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ultimately sided with the Trump administration, allowing troops to remain in Los Angeles while the state’s lawsuit is heard. The court wrote that Mr. Trump most likely “lawfully exercised his statutory authority” to federalize the Guard, and that the law “does not give governors any veto power.”
