An appeals court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids while California’s legal challenge continues.

Just ask Jimmy Carter, whose White House term was forever framed by the unsuccessful attempt to rescue hostages held by Iran in 1979. That led to his defeat in 1980 by Ronald Reagan. President Donald Trump no doubt is aware of history – and perhaps irony as well – as events in Iran are again front and center at a pivotal moment early in his second stint in the White House.

The deployment was the first by a president of a state National Guard without the governor’s permission since 1965.

Los Angeles remains a focus of the Trump administration’s effort to punish Democratic-led cities by subjecting their populations to stepped-up immigration enforcement