06/11/2025
Governor Newsom Slams Trump Over National Guard Deployment Amid LA Immigration Protests
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Tensions continue to rise across downtown Los Angeles as California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered a searing statewide address Tuesday night, sharply criticizing President Donald Trump for what he called an “illegal and reckless” deployment of National Guard troops during ongoing immigration protests.
Governor Newsom accused the President of bypassing California leadership and commandeering 2,000 state National Guard members without consent, describing the move as a "brazen abuse of power." He added, *“Trump, without consulting California leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state's National Guard members to deploy on our streets illegally and for no reason. This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president enflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers, and even our National Guard at risk.”
The governor’s address follows five nights of unrest in the city triggered by federal immigration operations that began Friday, leading to numerous arrests. The protests escalated into violent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, with reports of looting, vandalism, graffiti, and significant property damage.
As the unrest spread, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced a curfew for a one-square-mile area of downtown, stretching from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway, and from the 10 Freeway to their junction point. During her press briefing, Mayor Bass clarified that the crisis was not citywide, despite dramatic imagery circulating on social media.
"The city of Los Angeles is a massive area — 502 square miles,” Bass explained. “The area of downtown where the curfew will take place is just one square mile. Some of the imagery of the protest, of the violence, gives the appearance as though this is a citywide crisis, and it is not."
The 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, which took effect immediately Tuesday night, led to dozens of arrests. Law enforcement was seen swiftly moving into affected areas as soon as the curfew began, with sporadic confrontations reported throughout the evening.
In response to the ongoing demonstrations and civil unrest, President Trump had already ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops. That number grew with the arrival of an additional 700 U.S. Marines — a move that drew even more criticism from state officials. Newsom accused the President of intentionally “fanning the flames,” saying, *“The President, he did it on purpose… This situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown. But that, that's not what Donald Trump wanted.”*
Governor Newsom concluded his address by issuing a direct warning to Californians: *“What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement — it’s authoritarianism. What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence, to be complicit in this moment. Do not give into him.”*
As both state and federal leaders remain locked in a heated standoff, the people of Los Angeles continue to demand answers and accountability over what has become one of the most volatile episodes in the city's recent history.
Stay with **Pulse News Report** for continuous updates as this story develops.
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