The military was sent to curb the protest and protect ice agents carrying out migrant raids.
California officials respond to the National Guard leaving LA
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised residents for peaceful protests after Trump announced that several troops would leave the city.
The Pentagon has withdrawn more than a thousand National Guard troops sent to Los Angeles, further expanding President Donald Trump’s controversial development.
On July 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegses recalled 1,350 California national security guards assigned to protect federal buildings and staff amid the public turmoil following the recent immigration and customs enforcement raids in the city and Southern California.
The military’s withdrawal remains about a week in what the White House described as a 60-day development that began on June 7th.
The Pentagon said about 250 units will remain in Los Angeles to protect personnel and property. At the peak of the deployment, nearly 5,000 service members were sent to the area. Most were National Guard forces, but Trump sent 700 Marines to protect federal property in the city.
The military was instructed to curb the protest and protect ice agents carrying out migrant raids.
Newsom: Trump’s “Political Theatre Backfired”
Several California Democrats criticized the development in June, calling it an overreach of presidential authorities and accusing Trump of inciting violence. Trump’s response at the time was that “Los Angeles will be on fire right now” without military presence.
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued the Trump administration, claiming the development was illegal. The San Francisco Court of Appeals ruled that the military could remain.
Newsom said in a post by X on July 30 that Trump’s “a chaotic and unnecessary takeover of the California National Guard, his political theatre in Los Angeles exploded in his face.”
“President Trump has noticed that his political theatre is backfiring. This militarization has always been unnecessary and has been deeply unpopular,” Newsom said in a statement.
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass also considered the deployment a “political stunt” and in a July 30 post from X, he said the withdrawal was a “winner.” Bass said he will continue to put pressure on the administration until “all troops leave LA.”
Hegseth responded to Bass with his own X-post.
“We are welcomed mayors. These brave forces are redeploying because their mission was so successful. We should be grateful for saving your city from the mob and chaos,” Hegses said. “We will continue to support law enforcement.
The deployment of the military is estimated to cost around $134 million, according to the Pentagon.
