Appeals court allows Trump to maintain National Guard troops in DC for the time being

A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a lower-court order, allowing National Guard forces stationed in Washington, DC, to remain in the city for the moment. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals said it is pausing the prior ruling to give the court additional time to determine whether a longer suspension is warranted.

The original decision, issued on November 20 by US District Judge Jia Cobb, had been delayed for 21 days to permit an appeal. With the appeals courts new action, Cobbs instruction directing President Donald Trump and the Department of Defense to withdraw the troops from the capital is now suspended pending further order of this court.

The court emphasized in its unsigned statement that the temporary pause is intended solely to allow more time for consideration and should not be interpreted as a judgment on the substance of the request for an extended stay.

The presence of thousands of National Guard membersboth local and from Republican-led stateshas drawn renewed attention following a shooting last week that killed one guard and left another critically injured. After the incident, administration lawyers requested the DC Circuit to halt Cobbs order, though they did not reference the shooting in their filings.

DC Attorney General Brian Schwalbs office highlighted the attack in urging the court to deny the Trump administrations request, citing the strain on police resources and the heightened risk to both the public and Guard members. Coordination between DC police and National Guard personnel has reportedly intensified in the wake of the shooting.

The legal dispute over the National Guard in Washington occurs alongside separate cases concerning troop deployments in other Democratic-led cities across the United States. These cases have involved multiple levels of the federal judiciary, with the Supreme Court currently reviewing an emergency appeal regarding National Guard deployment in Chicago.

Author: Ava Mitchell