Trump Sends Troops to LA: Is This the Start of a Military Takeover?

2025-06-11 00:00:51.549

Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests following immigration raids has sparked significant controversy. The $134 million deployment has been defended by Trump as necessary to prevent the city from "burning to the ground," a claim Mayor Karen Bass disputes. Governor Gavin Newsom has filed for an emergency injunction, calling the deployment "unlawful, excessive, and unnecessary." Trump has accused both Bass and Newsom of paying protestors, referring to them as "paid insurrectionists" and "animals." Meanwhile, several journalists covering the protests have reported injuries at the hands of law enforcement. The protests themselves have seen a mix of vandalism and cleanup efforts by some protestors. The situation has drawn strong reactions from other politicians, with some criticizing the violence and others questioning the actions of ICE under the Trump administration. A report suggests that White House aide Stephen Miller may have instigated the raids that sparked the protests. The deployment of troops and the overall situation have raised concerns about the potential for this to set a precedent for the use of military force against civilian protestors.