Ex-GOP Lawmaker Urges California Guard Action Against Trump

Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger is urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to fully mobilize the state’s National Guard, arguing it’s a crucial step to counter what he perceives as increasingly authoritarian tendencies from former President Donald Trump. Speaking on CNN Tuesday, Kinzinger, a former Air National Guard lieutenant colonel, explained a nuanced point regarding federalization of National Guard troops. Currently, 4,000 California National Guard members are activated, but once activated by the president without the governor’s consent, they fall under federal command, effectively becoming part of the U.S. Army and losing their state-level law enforcement capabilities unless the Insurrection Act is invoked or the governor approves.

Kinzinger views the recent deployment of U.S. Marines as a deliberate intimidation tactic, particularly given the availability of the unutilized portion of the California National Guard. He believes Newsom activating the remaining Guard forces would place them under his direct control, forcing Trump to potentially overrule the governor – a move that could then be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Kinzinger contends that with protest activity currently not at a massive scale, the governor has the latitude to proactively mobilize the Guard should demonstrations escalate. He further elaborated on the situation in a recent Substack article, highlighting the irony that the National Guard, often championed by conservatives as a check on federal power – a modern “militia” – could be seized by that very federal power.

This situation, while seemingly technical, underscores a growing concern about the potential for the misuse of military and National Guard resources for political ends. While the immediate threat level remains debatable, Kinzinger’s argument raises legitimate questions about the balance of power between state and federal authorities, and the constitutional role of the National Guard as a safeguard against federal overreach. The suggestion to proactively mobilize the Guard is a bold one, and while it could be seen as escalating tensions, it also presents a potential legal and political check on actions perceived as exceeding presidential authority.