Trump National Guard Deployment: General Walks Back Testimony on LA Protests

Key Witness Testimony Shifts

• 🎯 Major General Scott Sherman presented shifting testimony on the second day of the trial concerning the Trump administration's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.
• 💡 On Monday, Sherman stated he never heard the term "rebellion" used to describe the LA protests, a term significant to Trump's justification for deploying the National Guard.
• ⚠️ On Tuesday, Sherman admitted he was aware Trump had referred to the protests as a rebellion.

MacArthur Park Operation Details

• ⚡ Sherman initially testified that he objected to the request for National Guard assistance in immigration enforcement at MacArthur Park.
• 📌 He later clarified that the operation required higher approval due to its high-risk nature, and changes were made to the plan, including altering the date from Father's Day.
• ✅ The operation was ultimately authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegath.

Posse Comitatus Act and Constitutional Exceptions

• ⚖️ The trial centers on the Posse Comitatus Act, a 19th-century law restricting the military's role in civilian law enforcement.
• ❓ Both the judge and California's attorneys questioned Sherman about a claimed constitutional exception that would allow the National Guard to perform functions normally violating the Posse Comitatus Act.
• 🗣️ Sherman, stating he is not a lawyer, explained that he was told the declaration of a rebellion could trigger this exception.
• 🧐 The judge pressed Sherman on whether the President's declaration alone could bypass the Posse Comitatus Act, highlighting a central question of the case.