Where the Trump admin’s court fight over National Guard in DC stands in wake of shooting
The ongoing legal battle between the Trump administration and Washington, D.C. officials over the deployment of National Guard members has intensified following a tragic incident involving two soldiers. The dispute centers around a recent order from U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, which temporarily blocked the administration from using National Guard troops in the capital. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has appealed this order, arguing that the deployment is lawful and necessary for addressing rising crime rates and illegal immigration. This legal tussle has escalated in the wake of a targeted attack on two members of the West Virginia National Guard, which has brought heightened scrutiny to the administration’s security measures in the city.
On Wednesday, two National Guard members were ambushed near the White House, resulting in the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and leaving 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe in critical condition. The assailant, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who previously assisted the CIA, has been charged with first-degree murder. In response to this violent incident, President Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to be deployed, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring public safety. The administration plans to maintain a National Guard presence in Washington through at least February, as the legal proceedings unfold. A three-judge panel, comprised of two Trump appointees and one Obama appointee, is currently reviewing the DOJ’s appeal and will determine whether to uphold Judge Cobb’s order or allow the deployment to continue.
The legal arguments surrounding this case highlight the tension between federal authority and local governance. Washington officials argue that the federal government’s military presence undermines the District’s sovereignty and exacerbates tensions within the city, diverting resources from local law enforcement. In contrast, DOJ attorneys assert that the National Guard’s role is primarily one of deterrence, patrolling areas with insufficient police presence and assisting in public safety efforts. This situation is not isolated to D.C.; similar deployments have faced resistance in other cities like Illinois and Portland, where local leaders have pushed back against federal military involvement. As the appeal progresses, the outcome may set important precedents regarding the balance of power between federal and local authorities in managing public safety and security.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDxgZNi4PdU
The Trump administration is fighting with
Washington, D.C.
, over whether it is legally allowed to deploy hundreds of National Guard members in the nation’s capital as part of a monthslong battle, certain to come under heightened scrutiny in the aftermath of Wednesday’s attack on two soldiers.
The dispute has risen to the appeals court level, where the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the court recently to intervene and put a hold on U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb’s order blocking the administration from using the National Guard.
Cobb’s order, issued Nov. 20, was not set to go into effect until mid-December to give the DOJ a chance to challenge it.
The DOJ appealed the order Tuesday, one day prior to the attack. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital Friday that the department is pressing forward with the appeal — the latest sign that the administration is not backing down from its decision to use the National Guard forces as part of its nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and crime.
OFFICIALS ID WOUNDED NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS ON JOB LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE DC AMBUSH AS PROBE INTENSIFIES
The court fight comes as two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot Wednesday afternoon near the White House. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect, an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal who once assisted the CIA overseas, will face at least one charge of first-degree murder.
Lakanwal allegedly ambushed Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, in a targeted attack that President Donald Trump described as an “act of terror.”
Beckstrom died
of her injuries, while Wolfe remained in critical condition Friday, authorities said.
In response to the incident, Trump said he ordered another 500 National Guard members to be deployed to Washington.
“We will not be deterred from the mission the service members were so nobly fulfilling,” Trump said of his decision to mobilize the additional troops, adding, “We will make America totally safe again.”
The administration has indicated that it plans to maintain a National Guard presence in the District of Columbia through at least February.
A three-judge panel is handling the Trump administration’s appeal of Cobb’s order. The panel, which comprises two Trump appointees and one Obama appointee, has ordered parties in the case to submit arguments to the court by Wednesday.
The panel could decide whether to block Cobb’s order and continue allowing use of the
National Guard
in Washington anytime thereafter.
DEM STRATEGIST SAYS ADDING 500 NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN DC WOULD CREATE ‘MORE TARGETS’
Lawyers have argued on behalf of Washington that the Trump administration encroached on the District’s sovereignty by creating a “federal military police force” out of what amounted to more than 2,000 D.C. and out-of-state National Guard members. The lawyers said that Washington leaders opposed the presence of the troops and that it “inflamed tensions” and diverted resources from the local police department.
They said the out-of-state National Guard forces particularly were problematic because states cannot interfere with the District, which is governed by a unique set of federal statutes.
DOJ attorneys countered that the deployment was “plainly lawful” and said the troops were not engaging in arrests or searches, but rather in deterrence by simply patrolling areas undermanned by police and making temporary detentions as needed.
“The results speak for themselves,” the attorneys wrote. “The deployment has been a part of a broader federal-local effort between federal agencies and the D.C. Mayor’s office to safeguard the public from violent crime. The success of that coordination is undeniable.”
The Trump administration also has attempted to deploy National Guard members in Illinois and Portland but state and local leaders resisted, leading to lawsuits, including one that is now pending before the Supreme Court.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
