The last president who, against the will of the governor, sent the National Guard to the place of protests, was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. At that time, the troops went to Alabama to protect demonstrators who fought for civil rights under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. Today the context is completely different.
“I have a short message for them: you spit, we beat,” said Donald Trump on Sunday, announcing hard actions against demonstrators spitting on policemen. The richest state of the US has become an arena of violent events.
On Sunday morning, at Trump's order, the National Guard entered Los Angeles – against the will of the governor of Gavin Newsom. From Friday, the Metropolis on the West Coast of the USA has been underway against ICE immigration services, which carried out raids in the city to detect and deport immigrants. The situation gets out of control. Here's how it happened.
The demonstrations were not large, but they were not peaceful either. Cars and shops were set on fire, stones were thrown into the police, and masked people painted a prison building in the city center. For Trump, this is a reason enough to take decisive actions. Los Angeles and the democratic authorities of California are a grateful political goal for him.
A fight for narrative broke out around the photos from Los Angeles a long time ago. For Trump, the matter is clear. Protests are “riots” that should be suppressed quickly. For his opponents they are an expression of freedom of speech. However, Trump's narrative is supported by paintings from helicopters on television, showing fires and clouds of smoke. They give viewers in America the impression of chaos in the city.
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Trump has a double political motivation to deal with this situation. If the Gavin governor and the mayor of Karen Bass “do not do their work, the federal government will enter and solve the problem” – the president wrote on Truth Social on Saturday, and a moment later sent the national guard.
News is a governor of California for six years. His term ends in 2026, after which he will not be able to run again. It is impossible not to notice how tall, well combed and eloquent The politician is already warming up for the race for the Democrats candidacy in the presidential election.
He tries to distance himself from the results of his own policy at all costs. There is no doubt that California is not a model of successful politics. The condition is struggling with high crime, homelessness, a rapid increase in real estate prices and damaged infrastructure.
Newsoms even in his own camp meets with great criticism. Left -wing publicist Ezra Klein recently published a book in which he analyzes the defeat of progressive policy on the example of California.
For Trump, protests coming out from control are now a great opportunity to present Newsom as an incompetent politician and thus to tickle his public image. In the past, the president has been strongly criticized by the governor. When the most serious forest fires in the history of California raged at the beginning of the year, he accused him of not sending fire aircraft and hindered the water supply to extinguishing fire.
Sending a national guard against the will of the governor is a demonstration of the president's strength. Trump wants to show the contrast among themselves as a guardian of order and tolerating protests with newsom.
HegeSeth: 500 marines are ready for action
Defense Secretary Pete HegeSth made it clear that sending a national guard does not have to be the final solution. “If the violence is durable, we will mobilize American marines,” he wrote on X. They are already in a state of high readiness. According to CNN, 500 soldiers are “ready” for action.
Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times Via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
Protests in Los Angeles, June 8, 2025.
News saw this political dynamics and is trying to oppose it. The guards did not come to Los Angeles “to respond to the needs, but to cause a crisis,” he wrote on X. In his opinion, Trump counts on chaos“to be able to hit even more.” Turning to the inhabitants of Los Angeles, the news said: “Don't give him a spectacle he wants.” The governor announced that he would sue Trump's administration.
Also the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, described Trump's actions as a “crib”, but during a press conference on Sunday afternoon she firmly asked the demonstrators to remain calm. In her opinion, California authorities and politicians are not responsible for the crisis, but a man in the White House. “When conducting raids to workplaces and driving armored vehicles on our streets, fear and panic are caused,” she said.
For Trump, the defense of your migration agenda is the second motivation to maintain a hard line of conduct. After all, that's it The raids of migration services were the starting point for protests. Throughout the country, government efforts to detect and deport illegal immigrants are very popular. A survey conducted at the beginning of the month by the CBS station showed that 54 percent Americans support deportations. 46 percent He is opposite to this.
Steven Cheung, director of communication of the White House, provided for a much higher support for these activities after the National Guard “repels” the demonstrators. However, protests are ongoing.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
