A federal appeals court panel on Thursday temporarily lifted a judge’s order blocking President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.
The three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Trump administration’s request to halt the order while they weigh whether an extended pause is warranted as they consider the administration’s appeal.
It comes in the wake of a violent attack on two National Guard members in the nation’s capital, which left one soldier dead and another hospitalized, prompting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to order 500 more National Guard troops into the city.
A suspect is in custody and facing charges.
U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb found the Pentagon’s deployment of D.C. National Guard members for “non-military, crime-deterrence missions” and its calls for assistance from out-of-state troops likely exceeded federal authority and violated the law.
Her order was already on pause since she stopped it from going into effect until Dec. 11 to allow time for the administration to appeal.
