Trump Defends Los Angeles Marine, National Guard Deployment Amid Legal Pushback

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his decision to deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles, overriding California Gov. Gavin Newsom's objections, amid intensifying anti-ICE protests and rising tensions with local and state officials.

“If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, blaming“an incompetent Governor and Mayor” for both the unrest and delays in rebuilding 25,000 homes lost to fires. 

Trump claimed federal permits were nearly complete, while state and city permitting processes were“a total mess.”

U.S. President Donald Trump's Post Defending Sending Troops In L.A. amid protests. | Source: @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social

The decision has sparked legal and political backlash. California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, arguing that the deployment, made without a formal request from Newsom, was“unlawful” and should be rescinded.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has also criticized the move, suggesting Trump was using the city as a“test case” to weaken state authority. 

On Monday, Trump deployed 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, describing the mission as one to protect“federal personnel and federal property.” The administration also doubled the number of National Guard members deployed to the city to 4,000.

Nationwide demonstrations are expected to expand throughout the week, with protests already underway in Austin, San Jose, and other cities, according to NBC News.

President Trump is scheduled to speak at the North Carolina military base later on Tuesday, marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump teased a“big speech, amazing crowd!” ahead of his appearance at Fort Bragg, the nation's largest military installation.

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), widely regarded as a proxy for Donald Trump and his political fortunes, declined as much as 1% during midday trading on Tuesday, even as the broader market trended upward. 

The SPDR S & P 500 ETF (SPY) rose 0.3%, while the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) gained 0.1%. 

DJT's stock has fallen more than 38% this year and over 50% in the last 12 months.

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