Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is denouncing President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to her city, calling the move a “completely unnecessary” escalation amid ongoing protests over federal ICE raids in Compton and Paramount.
“I’m very disappointed that [Trump] chose to [deploy the National Guard] because it was just not necessary,” Bass told KTLA in a phone interview Saturday. “To me, this is just completely unnecessary, and I think it’s the [Trump] administration just posturing.”
The troops arrived in Los Angeles in the early hours of June 8, following a memo from Trump authorizing their mobilization. Federal officials argue the presence is needed to restore order after sporadic clashes between protestors and law enforcement, but Bass maintains that the city is not out of control—and never was.
“Paramount had some issues, but I doubt very seriously that there is a need for the National Guard there either,” she said. “This is political.”
The deployment comes in response to tensions sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that have drawn widespread condemnation from immigrant rights advocates and local leaders. Trump’s use of the military has added a volatile dimension to an already polarizing situation, with fears of further escalation as more demonstrations are planned across the region.
While the Trump administration insists that National Guard troops are necessary for public safety, the Associated Press reports that federal troops are prohibited from performing civilian law enforcement duties unless the Insurrection Act is invoked—something Trump’s order did not do.
Bass, meanwhile, struck a tone of balance in addressing both sides of the crisis. She urged protestors to remain peaceful while emphasizing their right to demonstrate.
“It is absolutely [the protesters’] right to exercise the First Amendment, but it is completely unacceptable for there to be any level of violence or vandalism of any type,” Bass added. “These are the very people who don’t want ICE to be involved… this [resulted] in the National Guard [being deployed].”
California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Bass’s criticism, telling the AP that Trump’s actions were “purposefully inflammatory” and not grounded in operational necessity.
“LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice,” Newsom said. “There is currently no unmet need. This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”
The National Guard presence—and the specter of active-duty Marines—was further amplified by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who posted on X (formerly Twitter) that additional military force would be considered if violence continued. Critics argue this move signals a dangerous precedent in using federal force to police local political resistance to immigration enforcement.
According to The Economist, the deployment may be less about maintaining order and more about punishing sanctuary cities like Los Angeles that resist Trump’s immigration agenda.
The legal and political implications of Trump’s actions are still unfolding, but local leaders like Bass and Newsom have made it clear: Los Angeles did not ask for troops, and doesn’t need them.
