California leaders blast Trump’s deployment of National Guard to crush LA protests

US National Guard are deployed outside the federal prison in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following a immigration raid protest the night before. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)

LOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass were leading the opposition Sunday to President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles County after two days of occasionally violent protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

Newsom blasted the move in a fundraising email sent out Sunday morning.

“Last night, President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, using the excuse of protests against his immigration raids. Let me be totally clear about what is happening here. We have been working closely with law enforcement. There is no unmet need. The president is attempting to inflame passions and provoke a response,” Newsom wrote.

U.S. National Guard are deployed around downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following an immigration raid protest the night before. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

“He would like nothing more than for this provocative show of force — and Pete Hegseth’s absurd threat to deploy United States Marines on American soil — to escalate tensions and incite violence.

“These are not people who have some deep conviction about protecting law enforcement. This is a President who failed to call up the National Guard when it was actually needed — on January 6th — and  then pardoned the participants as one of his first acts as president.

“They want a spectacle. They want the violence. They think this is good for them politically. That is why White House aides were posting pictures of Trump getting popcorn last night. This is not the way a civilized country behaves. It is completely deranged behavior.

“To the people of Los Angeles and across the country who are protesting these immigration raids: Don’t give them the spectacle they want. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully and in large numbers. I know many of you have been watching the news about this, so I thought it important to reach out.”

U.S. National Guard are deployed outside the federal prison in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following a immigration raid protest the night before. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)

Bass echoed some of those thoughts in an interview with KTLA5.

“I’m very disappointed that he chose to do this, because it’s just not necessary,” Bass told the station Sunday morning. “There was protests last night in Los Angeles — my understanding is that there were about 120 protesters. Several of them did commit acts of vandalism, but there was nothing that was happening in downtown Los Angeles that the Los Angeles Police Department could not manage to deal with, so to me, this is completely unnecessary, I think it’s the administration just posturing. To have 100 troops in Westwood, where nothing had happened at all, and 100 downtown is just overreach.”

Bass said she spoke to high-level officials in the Trump administration, including “border czar” Tom Holman, before the Guard was deployed, and “expressed to them that things were not out of control in the city of Los Angeles. Paramount has some issues, but I doubt very seriously that there’s a need for the National Guard there either.”

Bass said she told Holman, “If you want there to be chaos, then have troops on the ground when there is absolutely no need for that to happen.”

Holman, meanwhile, told NBC News that elected officials could be open to federal prosecution if they’re found to be impeding law enforcement.

“It’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’sa felony to impede law enforcement  from doing their job,” Holman said. “… I don’t think she’s crossed the line yet,” he said of Bass.

On Sunday morning, three Southland congressional representatives attempted to visit the Adelanto Detention Facility in San Bernardino County, where those detained in the immigration raids werebelieved to be held. Reps. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, Gil Cisneros, D-Covina, and Derek Tran, D-Cypress, also scheduled a news conference after their planned visit with representatives from the ACLU and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

Chu later posted a video showing locks on the fence outside the facility, and said her group was not able to enter.

Trump addressed the situation in a social media post at 11:41 p.m. Saturday.

“Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest,” he wrote. “We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is
complete!), unable to to handle the task.

“These radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED. Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!”

The Presidential Memorandum posted Saturday on the White House website ordered the deployment of the National Guard in light of “numerous incidents of violence and disorder [which] … threaten to continue in response to the enforcement of Federal law by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other United States government personnel who are performing Federal functions and supporting the faithful execution of Federal immigration laws.”

The order states, in part that “The members and units of the National Guard called into Federal service shall be at least 2,000 National Guard personnel and the duration of duty shall be for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense.

“In addition, the Secretary of Defense may employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property in any number determined appropriate in his discretion.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said he has placed U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County on “high alert” to be deployed if needed.

“In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California,” the White House noted. “These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.

“That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrestedand swiftly brought to justice.  The commander-in-chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.”

Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors,posted on X Saturday that she  supported the right to protest peacefully, but added: “Engaging in vandalism, obstructing law enforcement, or committing acts of violence undermines the very principles of democracy and freedom that we allvalue. I will closely monitor any developments of civil unrest this evening across our county.

“I will not condone attacks against local, state, or federal law enforcement officers or any attempt to cause them harm. We must uphold both our rights and our responsibilities as members of this community. Let us come together in a manner that reflects the strength, dignity, and respect for which Los Angeles County stands.”

California’s two Democratic senators also weighed in.

“Using the National Guard this way is a completely inappropriate and misguided mission. The Trump administration is just sowing more chaos and division in our communities,” Sen. Alex Padilla posted Saturday.

Sen. Adam Schiff said “The Trump administration’s calling on the California National Guard without the authorization of the governor is unprecedented. This action is designed to inflame tensions, sow chaos, and escalate the situation.

“If the Guard is needed to restore peace, the governor will ask for it. But continuing down this path will erode trust in the National Guard and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral misuse of the Guard across the country. … There is nothing President Trump would like more than a violent confrontation with protestors to justify the unjustifiable — invocation of the Insurrection Act or some form of martial law.”

Republicans, however, saw it differently.

“Only one party supports this lawlessness, the same party that allowed millions of people to invade our borders,” the Los Angeles County Republican Party posted on X. “The only way to peace now is through enforcing the law, both state and federal, and anyone that hinders or opposes this will face the consequences.”

And in response to a social media post Saturday by self-described “independent journalist” Anthony Cabassa that “police are in retreat” in Compton, TV host and Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton wrote,

“California in a nutshell. Police should NEVER be `in retreat.’ Rioters should be in retreat. Violent criminals who are here illegally…THEY should be in retreat. But under Democrat rule, bad guys are rewarded, good guys are punished. Time for change.” (CNS)