Trump to Deploy Thousands More National Guard Troops, US Marines to Protest-Hit Los Angeles
Deploying active-duty military forces such as the US Marines into civilian communities within the United States is an extremely rare and uncommon action.
Trump Administration Sends Additional Troops to Protest-Hit Los Angeles, Drawing Sharp Rebuke from California Governor
President Donald Trump’s administration announced Monday the deployment of 700 active-duty US Marines and thousands more National Guard troops to Los Angeles, prompting strong condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move “deranged.”
The announcement follows an earlier deployment of 2,000 National Guard members to the city on Saturday, with around 300 personnel already stationed near federal buildings by Sunday.
Amid a fourth consecutive day of protests over immigration raids—some of which have led to confrontations with law enforcement—the administration confirmed the mobilization of Marines from Camp Pendleton and an additional 2,000 National Guard troops. A senior official initially cited 500 Marines, later revising the figure to 700, stating they would assist in protecting federal agents and infrastructure.
The use of active-duty military personnel like the US Marines in a domestic civilian context is highly uncommon in the United States. The military later confirmed the deployment, stating the Marines would “seamlessly integrate” with National Guard units already on the ground.
The deployments have been carried out without the approval of Governor Newsom, a Democrat, who accused Trump of deliberately inciting unrest.
“Trump is trying to provoke chaos by sending 4,000 soldiers onto American soil,” Newsom wrote on X (formerly Twitter), earlier describing the decision as “deranged” and likening Trump’s actions to those of a dictator.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell added that the additional National Guard personnel would support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and help ensure the safety of federal officers. However, it remained unclear whether the 2,000 newly mentioned troops were in addition to or inclusive of those already deployed.
The first mention of a possible Marine deployment came from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday.
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