California’s National Guard began arriving in Los Angeles (LA) early Sunday morning, following President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy 2,000 troops to the city in response to escalating violence surrounding ongoing anti-ICE riots.
The deployment marks a significant federal intervention in what the White House has called a breakdown of law and order in the nation’s second-largest city.
U.S. Northern Command confirmed on social media platform X that units from the National Guard were being mobilized, with some personnel already stationed in downtown Los Angeles.
The initial deployment has focused on a small, high-tension area surrounding the Metropolitan Detention Center, a frequent flashpoint in recent confrontations between protesters and law enforcement. Other areas of the city, for now, remain largely undisturbed by the troop movement.
The federal response follows a Saturday night post on Truth Social from President Trump, who sharply criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for what he characterized as a failure to control the protests.
Trump stated, “Radical left protests will not be tolerated,” and issued a warning that protestors would no longer be allowed to wear masks during demonstrations, a move aimed at curbing anonymity during violent