Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests


What happened
President Donald Trump's administration said Monday it was sending 700 Marines and 2,000 more National Guard troops to Los Angeles, escalating the federal response to protests over ICE raids in the area. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who opposes the deployments alongside local officials, filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to overturn Trump's National Guard activation, and the governor said he would also sue over the Marines deployment, calling both actions inflammatory abuses of power.
Demonstrators clashed with state and local police in pockets of Los Angeles again Monday as the protests spread to cities across the U.S.
Who said what
Monday's L.A. protests were, "for the most part, calmer than Sunday's melees, which left a wake of foam bullets around the city's center and many protesters injured from the munitions," the Los Angeles Times said. But the battle of words between Trump and Newsom escalated.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Arresting the governor "would be a great thing," Trump told reporters, and "I would do it if I were Tom" Homan, the White House border czar. Newsom said Trump was taking an "unmistakable step toward authoritarianism" and his Marines deployment was "un-American." Marines are "heroes," Newsom said on X, not "political pawns" to be "illegally" deployed on American streets to "fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial president" and give him "a talking point at his parade this weekend."
Newsom said he was calling in about 800 additional police from nearby counties and the California Highway Patrol to "pick up the pieces" of Trump's "chaos." L.A. Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said having "federal military forces in Los Angeles — absent clear coordination — presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city."
What next?
The Pentagon is "scrambling" to "establish rules to guide U.S. Marines who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil," The Associated Press said. Because Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act, the 700 Marines and 4,100 National Guard troops in LA aren't allowed to arrest people or engage in other law enforcement.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
June 10 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include double standards, Donald Trump escalating tensions in Los Angeles, and the runaway national debt
-
'Poo pills' and the war on superbugs
The Explainer Antimicrobial resistance is causing millions of deaths. Could a faeces-filled pill change all that?
-
Venice braces for the Bezos wedding
In the Spotlight The Amazon founder and his fiancée will be met with 'noisy' protests when they cruise into the historic city aboard their $500m superyacht
-
Deportations: A crackdown on legal migrants
Feature The Supreme Court will allow Trump to revoke protections for over 500,000 immigrants
-
Stephen Miller: Trump's extremist 'brain'
Feature Stephen Miller has emerged as an unrivaled power within the White House. What does he want?
-
Musk: What did he achieve in Washington?
Feature Elon Musk leaves his government job but not after bruising his image, slashing aid and firing thousands
-
Courts deal Trump a setback on tariffs
Feature A federal court ruled that Trump misused emergency powers to impose tariffs
-
Elon Musk's Trump tiff could be an opportunity for Democrats
TALKING POINTS As two of the world's most powerful people put the final nails in the coffin of their former friendship, Democrats are split over how to best capitalize on the breakup
-
'California is not a trivial target'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees