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November 21, 2025Federal judge rules Trump's National Guard deployment to DC for "crime deterrence" unlawful, delays enforcement until Dec. 11
Judge gives Trump administration weeks to appeal before enforcing ruling that found deployment unconstitutional
Federal Judge Jia Cobb ruled Nov. 21, 2025, that Trump lacks constitutional and statutory authority to deploy National Guard troops to Washington DC 'for the deterrence of crime.' The Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority over the District of Columbia under Article I Section 8. Trump deployed National Guard soldiers to DC in early 2025 without congressional authorization.
Judge Cobb declared the deployment illegal but postponed enforcement until Dec. 11 to allow Trump administration time to appeal
The deployment continued after the ruling pending appeal
Trump claimed DC crime rates justified military presence The ruling found Trump exceeded presidential military authority by using armed forces for domestic law enforcement.
The generally prohibits using federal military forces for domestic law enforcement
DC's unique status as federal district creates constitutional questions about military deployment
Trump bypassed Congress to station troops in the capital The judge found no statutory exception allowing the deployment.
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