'First time since 1965': Why Trump’s deployment of National Guard to LA is so controversial - When have US presidents deployed them in past?

The deployment of around 4,000 California National Guard soldiers to the streets of Los Angeles amid ongoing protests has stirred up a major political storm. President Donald Trump ordered the troops to intervene in demonstrations against his administration’s immigration raids, and did so without the approval of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

This move marks a rare moment in American history, with Trump invoking a little-used authority to bypass the state’s leadership. Not since 1965 has a president summoned National Guard troops to a state without the governor’s consent.

What triggered the latest deployment of National Guard?

Protests in Los Angeles entered their fourth consecutive day after a wave of immigration enforcement raids led to hundreds of arrests. The demonstrations have sparked citywide unrest, prompting Trump to act unilaterally by sending in the National Guard.

Governor Newsom fiercely opposed the move, calling it “a serious breach of state sovereignty” and vowed legal action to reverse the order. “We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” he posted on social media, calling the deployment “immoral” and “unconstitutional.”

How does the National Guard work?

The National Guard is a state-run military force made up of part-time soldiers who usually work civilian jobs or attend university. They are typically called in by governors during emergencies or civil unrest. However, the president has authority under certain federal laws to override state leaders in extreme situations.

One such law allows federal intervention in the event of “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States,” the clause Trump appears to have used.

When have such deployments happened before?

• 1992 Los Angeles riots: After the acquittal of police officers who beat Rodney King, violent protests erupted. President George H.W. Bush responded to a request from California’s Republican governor and LA’s Democratic mayor by deploying thousands of National Guard troops. The riots resulted in over 50 deaths and widespread damage.

• 1965 Selma to Montgomery march: President Lyndon B. Johnson sent in the Alabama National Guard against the state’s wishes to protect civil rights marchers led by Martin Luther King Jr. Governor George Wallace had refused to act. The move was pivotal in advancing civil rights.

• Other deployments: During the civil rights era, Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson all federalised state troops to ensure the desegregation of schools and to uphold public order against opposition from segregationist state officials.

How unusual is this move?

It is highly uncommon for a president to override a governor’s authority on National Guard deployment. The 1992 LA riots remain the last time a president sent in troops domestically, but only after receiving a formal request.

Historically, the use of the National Guard without state approval has been linked to moments of national crisis and civil rights milestones. In most cases, governors are reluctant to give up control of their state’s Guard, viewing it as essential to law enforcement.