United States - June 10, 2025 The Trump administration's move to deploy the National Guard to quell the immigration protests in Los Angeles -- without the governor's consent -- falls within the president's legal authority, but violates the traditional notion of U.S. federalism, according to Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). On Sunday, President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles without a formal request from California Governor Gavin Newsom in response to immigration protests. The move follows days of unrest after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-led immigration crackdown. "From the Trump administration's perspective, they are doing exactly what they were elected to do, first of all, and he is on sound historic precedent and within his legal authority to do this, because the National Guard, which is different from the Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, actually has a dual reporting structure to the governor of the particular state, as well as to the president, if the president does invoke Title Ten, which he has done here," Mok said in a program of China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Tuesday. Mok said that the Trump administration is trying to shift the balance of power between state and federal governments as the administration pursues structural reform in key areas such as federal bureaucracy, immigration, and higher education, which requires stronger federal power. "And I think the Trump's administration clearly believes that a deep structural reform in the United States is urgent and critical. So whether that's the reform of the federal bureaucracy, which is being attempted through 'DOGE,' whether it's what they see as the out-of-control academic complex, as best presented by Harvard University, and of course the immigration problem, as the Trump's administration might define it, the 'insurrection' taking place in California, all requires urgent action," said the researcher. In Mok's view, the administration's strategic push toward centralizing and deepening federal power could challenge the traditional notion of state autonomy. "I think from a narrow perspective, we are within the bounds of what Americans would define as federalism. But more strategically, I think the Trump administration clearly is looking to centralize and deepen power, which of course would violate the traditional notion of federalism," he said. SHOTLIST: Los Angeles, USA - June 9, 2025 1. Protesters on street; 2. Protesters gathered in standoff with National Guard personnel; USA - June 10, 2025 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Mok, senior research fellow, Center for China and Globalization (CCG) (ending with shots 4-8): "From the Trump administration's perspective, they are doing exactly what they were elected to do, first of all, and he is on sound historic precedent and within his legal authority to do this, because the National Guard, which is different from the Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, actually has a dual reporting structure to the governor of the particular state, as well as to the president, if the president does invoke Title Ten, which he has done here."; Los Angeles, USA - June 9, 2025 4. Various of protesters gathered in standoff with National Guard personnel; Los Angeles, California, USA - June 8, 2025 5. U.S. national flag; 6. Various of National Guard personnel on street; Los Angeles, USA - June 9, 2025 7. Protesters gathered in standoff with National Guard personnel; Los Angeles, California, USA - June 8, 2025 8. National Guard personnel on street; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - October 2024 9. Various of White House, U.S. national flag; USA - June 10, 2025 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Mok, senior research fellow, Center for China and Globalization (CCG) (starting with shots 8-9/ending with shot 11): "And I think the Trump's administration clearly believes that a deep structural reform in the United States is urgent and critical. So whether that's the reform of the federal bureaucracy, which is being attempted through 'DOGE,' whether it's what they see as the out-of-control academic complex, as best presented by Harvard University, and of course the immigration problem, as the Trump's administration might define it, the 'insurrection' taking place in California, all requires urgent action."; Los Angeles, USA - June 9, 2025 11. Various of policemen on street; USA - June 10, 2025 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Mok, senior research fellow, Center for China and Globalization (CCG) (starting with shot 11): "I think from a narrow perspective, we are within the bounds of what Americans would define as federalism. But more strategically, I think the Trump administration clearly is looking to centralize and deepen power, which of course would violate the traditional notion of federalism."; Los Angeles, USA - June 9, 2025 13. Police vehicles moving on street; 14. Police helicopter overhead; 15. Police vehicle, police officers. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]