WASHINGTON: A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington is unlawful, saying the Trump administration exceeded its authority, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
United States (US) District Judge Jia Cobb wrote that the administration should not have activated the capital's National Guard unit without an explicit request from local authorities and should not have ordered troops from other states to the city "for the deterrence of crime."
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Cobb ordered the deployment to end, but suspended her decision for three weeks to allow the administration to appeal.
The National Guard is a military reserve unit under state control, typically deployed in natural disasters, civil unrest, or other emergencies. In certain cases, the US president can assume command, and special rules apply to Washington, DC.
Trump ordered the troops to the capital city in August, citing claims of rampant crime, though official statistics do not support his assertion.
The local city administration filed a lawsuit challenging the deployment.
Cobb noted in her order that National Guard troops were stationed at monuments, metro stations, and residential neighbourhoods.
About 2,300 National Guard troops are currently in Washington, according to media reports. CNN estimates the cost at roughly US$1 million per day.
Trump also deployed National Guard units to other cities such as Portland and Los Angeles.
Critics have warned that the president is using the troops as a testing ground for an increasingly authoritarian approach. Several legal challenges are ongoing.
