California Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed shock and dismay at the announcement of the deployment of National Guard soldiers in Los Angeles, calling it a “completely jarring behavior”.
In a tweet, Newsom wrote that the Defense Minister is threatening to deploy active marine soldiers on US soil against its own citizens, describing it as a “totally unsettling” move. The governor accused the administration of staging a “spectacle”.
The announcement came after US President Donald Trump declared that he would be sending 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles due to ongoing protests against deportations. Later, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth added that the deployment of marine infantrymen could be ordered if necessary. The protests against the raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency turned violent on Friday and Saturday, with clashes reported.