A three-judge appeals panel in San Francisco heard oral arguments Thursday on whether President Donald Trump had the authority to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard troops and appeared reluctant to second-guess the president’s decision.

The hearing comes as multiple court cases play out in numerous states over Trump’s move to send in troops , and as the president escalates his threats and rhetoric against Democratic led cities . This week, Trump called those cities “war zones” and said he may consider using the Insurrection Act, which would allow military troops to be used for civilian law enforcement.

In the case being heard Thursday, the judges acknowledged the narrow nature of the issue before them: whether to halt a lower court’s order declaring the federalization of the

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