Court Backs National Guard's D.C. Deployment Amid Legal Dispute

A U.S. appeals court has ruled to continue the National Guard's deployment in Washington, D.C., halting an earlier order to end it. The decision supports the Trump administration's appeal, emphasizing the president's authority in federal districts and considering the impact on service members and federal interests.

The National Guard's deployment in Washington, D.C. will continue, following a ruling by a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday. The ruling stayed a previous decision by a lower court to end the deployment.

The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with the Trump administration, arguing that the president holds 'a unique power' to mobilize the Guard in Washington D.C., a federal district. This decision blocked the implementation of U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb's earlier ruling.

Judge Cobb had determined that the deployment encroached on local officials' authority over law enforcement. However, the appeals court deemed that other factors favored the Trump administration, including disruption to service members and the protection of federal interests in the capital. The court suggested that Trump has a strong basis for appeal, noting that the District has not pointed out any ongoing harm to its statutory interests.

(With inputs from agencies.)