Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Defense Secretary Hegseth issued formal censure of Senator Kelly for calling military to refuse unlawful orders — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a formal censure of Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy officer, stating that Kelly's call for military personnel to refuse unlawful orders "undermines the chain of command," "counsels disobedience," "creates confusion about duty," "brings discredit upon the armed forces," and "is conduct unbecoming an officer." Hegseth directed the Navy Secretary to investigate reducing Kelly's retirement grade. This action followed Kelly's November 18 participation in a video with five other Democratic veterans in Congress reminding military and intelligence personnel of their legal obligation to refuse orders that violate the law or Constitution.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth censured Senator Mark Kelly and threatened military pension cuts and criminal prosecution — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth censured Senator Mark Kelly, cut his military pension, threatened demotion, and warned of possible criminal prosecution after Kelly urged service members to obey their oath to the Constitution. The action appears to be retaliation for Kelly's public criticism of Hegseth and the Trump administration. Kelly responded by stating he would fight the censure and threats, characterizing Hegseth as "the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country's history" and asserting that Hegseth and Trump do not have the authority to suppress Americans' right to speak about their government.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth issues formal censure to Senator Mark Kelly and initiates rank-stripping proceedings — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a formal censure to Democratic Senator Mark Kelly on January 6, 2026, and initiated administrative proceedings to strip Kelly of his retired military rank and reduce his pension. Hegseth accused Kelly of making "seditious statements" after Kelly, along with five other Democratic lawmakers who are military or intelligence veterans, released a November 2025 video urging service members to uphold the Constitution and refuse unlawful orders. Hegseth cited Articles 133 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Kelly has 30 days to respond; the Navy Secretary must complete the rank review within 45 days.

Supporting reports

• Federal court rejects Trump's authority to independently mobilize D.C. National Guard for policing — On November 20, a federal court rejected Trump's assertion that he had the right to independently mobilize the D.C. National Guard for routine police work. The judge found that the deployment of more than 2,000 Guard troops to Washington was unlawful and violated the District's right to govern itself, establishing a significant legal constraint on the president's domestic military deployment authority.
• Court ruled National Guard deployment in Washington D.C. illegal but stayed order pending government appeal — On November 20, 2025, a court ruled that the deployment of the National Guard in the District of Columbia was illegal but stayed the order ending the deployment until December 11 to permit the government to appeal the decision.
• Case update — District of Columbia v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-03005 — Judge Cobb temporarily blocked the administration from using the D.C. National Guard for crime control in the District and from using out-of-state Guards. The order is slated to take effect on Dec. 11 in order to “permit orderly proceedings on appeal.”

Supporting reports

• California governor files preliminary injunction to block extended national guard deployment — Following Judge Breyer's ruling, California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a preliminary injunction on September 2 seeking to block the Trump administration's extension of national guard troops' deployment in Los Angeles through the November election. Newsom argued there was no justification for continued military presence against communities. Approximately 300 troops remained deployed at the time, down from thousands sent in June.
• Federal judge rules Trump administration illegally deployed national guard in Los Angeles — Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District Court ruled that the Trump administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act (1878) by deploying thousands of national guard troops to accompany federal immigration agents on raids in Los Angeles in June 2025. The ruling, effective September 12, barred troops from conducting arrests, searches, crowd control, and other law-enforcement functions. California Governor Gavin Newsom had filed suit in June, arguing the deployment constituted militarization of domestic streets. The Trump administration vowed to appeal.
• Judge Breyer ruled Trump administration's use of military in Los Angeles violated Posse Comitatus Act — Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense acted illegally when they deployed the Marines and National Guard in Los Angeles. The judge found that armed soldiers set up protective perimeters, traffic blockages, and engaged in crowd control, directly violating the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of U.S. military to execute domestic law. The judge noted that 300 troops remain in Los Angeles and warned that Trump and Hegseth have stated their intention to deploy National Guard troops in other cities, "thus creating a national police force with the President as its chief." Breyer prohibited the defendants from deploying or using military or National Guard troops to execute laws and stayed the order until noon September 12 to allow appeal.
• Federal judge ruled Trump's LA military deployment violated Posse Comitatus Act — A federal judge ruled that Trump's deployment of the military to Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the army from performing domestic law enforcement actions without authorization from Congress. While the judge noted that it's legal to deploy the officials to protect federal property, he said that Trump is using the military as a "national police force with the President as its chief."
• Judge Blocks Military Deployment for Law Enforcement in Los Angeles — On September 2, 2025, Judge Charles Breyer issued a ruling that prohibited the Trump administration from using military troops for law enforcement in Los Angeles, citing violations of the Posse Comitatus Act. The judge's order prevents the deployment of National Guard troops for domestic law enforcement activities, emphasizing the need to uphold legal boundaries between military and civilian roles.
• Judge Rules Against Trump's Use of Military for Domestic Law Enforcement — On September 2, 2025, Judge Charles Breyer ruled that President Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense acted illegally by deploying the Marines and National Guard in Los Angeles to enforce domestic law, violating the Posse Comitatus Act. The judge prohibited the use of military troops for law enforcement activities and warned against creating a national police force under presidential control.
• Judge rules Trump violated federal law in Los Angeles national guard deployment — A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that President Trump violated federal law when he deployed thousands of national guard troops to Los Angeles earlier in the summer during protests against ICE operations. The ruling represents a legal challenge to Trump's authority to unilaterally deploy military forces domestically without proper statutory authorization or state consent.
• Federal judge rules Trump's military deployment to Los Angeles unlawful — A federal judge found that Trump illegally deployed thousands of military troops to Los Angeles in June and barred the Pentagon from using National Guard and Marines for police functions such as arrests and crowd control. The order takes effect September 12. The ruling upheld California Governor Gavin Newsom's lawsuit challenging the deployment as a violation of the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits military use in domestic law enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Governor Pritzker declared Trump's Chicago military deployment unconstitutional and illegal — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker held a press conference at the Chicago waterfront flanked by community leaders and declared Trump's planned military deployment to Chicago "unprecedented and unwarranted," "illegal," "unconstitutional," and "un-American." Pritzker characterized the action as a political power grab targeting a Democratic city and state, not a genuine public safety measure.
• Pritzker announced Illinois will pursue legal action against Trump administration — Governor Pritzker announced that the state of Illinois will challenge the Trump administration's military deployment plan in court and will deploy "every lever" at its disposal to protect Illinois residents and their constitutional rights, including potential legal action against federal officials involved in the deployment scheme.
• Illinois Governor Pritzker rejected federal military deployment — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated that the state had received no requests from the federal government for assistance and had made no requests for federal intervention. He declared there was no emergency warranting federalization of the Illinois National Guard, deployment of National Guard from other states, or active-duty military within state borders. Pritzker accused Trump of attempting to manufacture a crisis and abuse his power.
• Pentagon planned National Guard deployment to Chicago — The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has been planning for weeks a military deployment of National Guard members and possibly active-duty troops to Chicago. The president lacks authority to deploy National Guard troops without a governor's request, but Trump has justified deployments by claiming soldiers protect federal buildings and personnel—a rationale potentially applicable to any location where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents operate.