Escalation in California Trump deploys National Guard against protests in L.A. - against the will of the governor
Against the wishes of the governor of California, Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard soldiers there. This was triggered by protests against deportations by federal security forces.
08.06.2025, 08:29
08.06.2025, 08:31
dpa
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- Protests against deportations and the Trump administration's migration policy escalate in Los Angeles and the surrounding area.
- President Trump orders the deployment of 2,000 National Guard soldiers against the demonstrators.
- The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, speaks out against the deployment of the National Guard.
- Democrats criticize the move as a dangerous breach of taboo and an abuse of power, as the president is thus violating the federal consensus and responding militarily to civil unrest.
- On previous occasions, such as the devastating fires in Los Angeles, Trump has also criticized the Democratic governor of California in the strongest terms and sometimes below the belt.
US President Donald Trump wants to use military security forces to combat protests against officials of the US immigration authority ICE in the state of California. Against the express wishes of Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump ordered the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard soldiers to bring the situation under control.
Newsom explained that the Republican's government was deliberately inflaming the situation with this step and was accepting a further escalation. Such a deployment is not the job of the state's National Guard "and will shake public confidence", the Democrat warned. There is no shortage of security forces, the federal government simply wants to stage "a spectacle". He appealed to the demonstrators to remain peaceful and not to offer the government any pretext.
The protests in the Los Angeles area that broke out on Friday - some of which were violent - were directed against the security forces of the US immigration authority ICE, who were arresting undocumented migrants in order to deport them. Some demonstrators threw stones at the security forces, among other things. The US Department of Homeland Security, which reports to Trump, spoke of a massive escalation.
Defense minister threatens military action
The soldiers were supposed to put an end to the "lawlessness" in the Los Angeles area, explained White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. As commander-in-chief, Trump would ensure that the laws of the United States were enforced. The official announcement stated that the National Guard would be deployed for 60 days or as long as the Secretary of Defense deems necessary.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced that Marines from the armed forces stationed in California could also be mobilized if necessary. "They are on high alert," he wrote on Platform X. Newsom reacted in horror: the Secretary of Defense was threatening to use soldiers "on American soil against its own citizens", he wrote on X. "This is deranged behavior."
In the USA, the states normally have control over the National Guard. Their deployment on the orders of the president against the will of the state represents a massive escalation. Mobilizing the regular military at home - as threatened by Hegseth - would be an even greater breach of taboo.
The National Guard is a military reserve unit and part of the US armed forces. Each state has its own National Guard, which can be deployed in the event of forest fires, hurricanes, flooding or civil unrest. It is then under the command of the respective governor. In the event of war or national emergencies, the US President can take command. In total, the USA has more than 325,000 National Guardsmen.
US senator speaks of "unprecedented" step
One of California's two US senators, Adam Schiff, called the deployment of the National Guard against the will of the governor "unprecedented". This was intended to create chaos and cause an escalation. He called for an end to the violence - there is "nothing President Trump would want more than violent clashes with protesters" to justify the use of the military or some form of martial law, Schiff warned on X.
Trump disparages California governor
Immediately before the White House statement, Trump had already issued a threat: If Governor Newsom and the mayor of Los Angeles did not do their jobs properly, the government would step in and solve the problem with "riots and looters". Instead of using the governor's correct surname, Trump referred to him as "Newscum" in his post on the Truth Social platform - a play on words with the English term "scum", which means "scum" in German.
The disparagement of the Democratic governor also points to the political dimension of the case: Newsom is not only one of the most prominent Democrats, he is also considered a possible contender for his party's presidential candidacy in the 2028 election. What's more, Newsom governs an enormously economically strong state with just under 40 million inhabitants - that's more than a tenth of the US population.
Trump, on the other hand, also won the election on the promise of mass deportations and likes to present himself as a sheriff who takes tough action. The focus on the situation in California could come in handy politically, as he has had to answer questions about his public rift with tech billionaire Elon Musk for days and is facing criticism of his tax and budget laws.
During Trump's first term in office, there were mass protests against racism in the USA in 2020 following the killing of African-American George Floyd during a police operation. Back then, Trump also responded with a massive deployment of security forces, including the National Guard in the capital Washington, which is under the command of the federal government.
Protests since Friday - use of tear gas
Deployments by ICE security forces triggered the protests in the Los Angeles area on Friday. They wanted to arrest migrants without a valid residence permit; the White House spoke of "normal deportation operations". The security forces confronted the demonstrators in full gear with shields and helmets, and tear gas was also used. According to local media reports, rubber bullets were also used.
Mayor Karen Bass and the local police distanced themselves from the ICE operations. As usual, they do not want to cooperate with the federal authorities in their jurisdiction in order to facilitate normal deportations. This is the attitude of many Democrat-controlled city administrations in the USA - whereas the Republicans want to implement the mass deportations announced by Trump.
"Violent uprising" against state authority?
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, around 1,000 protesters attacked ICE officials on Friday. The local police only intervened after two hours, the ministry criticized. Over the course of the week, 118 undocumented aliens were arrested in Los Angeles, including gang members and people with criminal records.
Justice Minister Pam Bondi warned on X that anyone obstructing or attacking security forces would face prosecution. FBI Director Kash Patel also threatened to deploy his agents. Trump's deputy chief of staff, the hardliner Stephen Miller, even spoke of a "violent uprising" against state authority. He welcomed the deployment of the National Guard and wrote on X: "We will take America back".
