WASHINGTON, June 10 — The Trump administration announced Monday it was deploying 700 US Marines and thousands more National Guard troops to Los Angeles, prompting strong condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move “deranged.”
WASHINGTON, June 10 — The Trump administration announced Monday it was deploying 700 US Marines and thousands more National Guard troops to Los Angeles, prompting strong condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move “deranged.”
President Donald Trump had already mobilised 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles on Saturday, with around 300 stationed outside federal buildings and working alongside federal officers by Sunday.
On Monday — the fourth consecutive day of protests against federal immigration raids in the city, some of which led to minor clashes with law enforcement — the administration said it would send 700 Marines and an additional 2,000 National Guard troops.
A senior administration official told AFP that “active-duty US Marines from Camp Pendleton will be deployed to Los Angeles to help protect federal agents and buildings.” Initially, the figure given was 500 Marines, but it was later revised to 700.
Deploying active-duty military personnel such as US Marines within a civilian area of the United States is a rare and controversial move.
The US military confirmed that “approximately 700 Marines” from an infantry battalion would be sent in response to the unrest and would “seamlessly integrate” with National Guard forces already deployed by Trump over the weekend — a move made without approval from California’s Democratic governor.
The Pentagon said the deployment was intended to ensure there were “adequate numbers of forces” to support law enforcement.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also announced the federal activation of “an additional 2,000 California National Guard troops” to assist ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and ensure federal law enforcement could operate safely.
It remained unclear whether this “additional” force was separate from the original 2,000 troops mobilised on Saturday, or if it included them.
Governor Newsom swiftly denounced the escalation, accusing Trump of deliberately inciting unrest.
“Trump is trying to provoke chaos by sending 4,000 soldiers onto American soil,” he wrote on X.
Earlier, Newsom criticised what he described as a “deranged” and “dictatorial” decision to deploy Marines in a domestic law enforcement role.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had first floated the possibility of deploying Marines on Saturday. — AFP
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