Donald Trump’s decision to bring in the National Guard to quell the protests in L.A. have been criticized by people across the country. While he may try to justify it, Trump’s own words from five years ago have come back to haunt him.
A viral video from sometime around 2020 shows Trump answering questions about restoring law and order to the country. Responding to the interviewer Trump triumphantly claimed that he had restored order, “except in Democrat run cities.”
BREAKING: In shocking footage of Trump in 2020 that is now going viral, Trump says it’s against the law for a president to call in the National Guard on his own: “We can't call in the National Guard unless we're requested by a governor.” MAGA =
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) June 9, 2025.
pic.twitter.com/cxYMfYEqay
The National Guard was deployed in L.A. over the weekend, a move which has been branded as “dangerous” by experts. The decision was made in response to anti-ICE protests which had erupted across the city. According to Donald of the past, he could not do anything as he was unable to call in the National Guard unless the local governor had specifically asked him to.
“We have laws, we have to go by the laws. We can’t move in the National Guard, I can call insurrection but there’s no reason to ever do that even in the Portland case. We can’t call in the National Guard unless we’re requested by a governor.”
So it seems Trump was well aware of the law and more than happy to follow it back then. But the current Donald would never let something as insignificant as the law get in his way. Despite California governor Gavin Newsom making it clear that he did not give approval for the National Guard to be sent to L.A., Trump has done so anyway.
Donald Trump has commandeered the National Guard
Newsom accused the president of commandeering the National Guard, calling it “illegal and immoral.” The California governor also vowed to sue Trump while the president has threatened to have him arrested.
Of course Trump likely doesn’t care for what the law says. He probably doesn’t even care for what he said five years ago either. He’s shown multiple times that he lacks principles and integrity and the worst part is people will defend this behavior. Trump hid behind the law as an excuse for his actions back in 2020 because it suited him then. Now that the law no longer serves his purpose he’s happy to cast it aside.
On X many called out the president’s current involvement in the L.A. protests. One indvidual called out the president for being a hypocrite, but that’s not exactly a surprise for Donald Trump any more.
I’ll leave you with hypocrisy from the convicted felon.
— Sgt Pepper (@MzSgtPepper) June 10, 2025
Shocking.#LosAngelesProtests #TrumpIsUnfitForOffice pic.twitter.com/QXz50heoVG
Even Bernie Sanders chimed in as he offered a grave warning claiming that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard “is about expanding his never-ending grasp for more power. It is about moving this country toward authoritarianism.”
Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in California is not about the protests.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 9, 2025
It is about expanding his never-ending grasp for more power. It is about moving this country toward authoritarianism.
All Americans must stand together against this gross abuse of power. pic.twitter.com/a2QlYRqqpV
Ultimately it seems as though Trump is knowingly ignoring the laws. The interview from 2020 proves that he is aware that what he’s doing is a gross misuse of his power, and yet he’s doing it anyway.
