Trump insists riots would have ‘completely obliterated' LA without National Guard and demands Dems say ‘THANK YOU'

The Sun

5 hours ago

DONALD Trump has doubled down on his decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles after days of unrest in the city.
The president said California Governor Gavin Newsom should be thanking him for deploying the troops to protests downtown against federal immigration raids.
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However, Newsom was furious with Trump's decision to send federal service members without his permission and slammed the move as "illegal" and "immoral," as he plans to bring a lawsuit against the Trump administration over it.
Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats, insist that the peaceful protests turned into riots on Sunday night only in response to the National Guard showing up.
But Trump said on Monday the city would be "completely obliterated" if he hadn't mobilized the Guard.
"We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated," he wrote on Truth Social.
"The very incompetent 'Governor,' Gavin Newscum, and 'Mayor,' Karen Bass, should be saying, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.'"
He continued, "Instead, they choose to lie to the People of California and America by saying that we weren't needed, and that these are 'peaceful protests.'"
Rioters looted shops, set self-driving Waymo cars on fire, and blocked off the 101 Freeway on Sunday night after the National Guard was deployed.
Cops used tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls to push back the protesters, even shooting a TV reporter with rubber bullets live on air at the terrifying scene.
Newsom has asked Trump to withdraw the troops and threatened to sue the Trump administration after the president authorized 2,000 troops to storm the city.
This is the first time in decades that a state's National Guard has been activated without the governor's permission, which Newsom called a "serious breach of state sovereignty."
On Truth Social, Trump called for anyone hiding their identities behind masks to be arrested immediately.
He added, "Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free."
Now, 500 Marines are waiting in a "prepared to deploy" status at a base that sits about 142 miles east of Los Angeles.
The city is bracing for more violent clashes on Monday as Trump's new travel ban comes into effect, furthering his crackdown on immigration.
More than 100 people were arrested in ICE raids last week as agents targeted the city of Paramount, which has a predominantly Latino population in Los Angeles.
LAPD chiefs have now voiced concerns over the use of deadly weapons by the rioters.
Trump vowed to support law enforcement in the protests and said he will make sure his administration "sends whatever we need to make sure there's law and order."
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Today, 09:11 By Georgie English
The Los Angeles carnage in numbers
At least 56 people have been arrested so far across three days of protests in Los Angeles, police chief Jim McDonnell said this evening.
Ten people were arrested on Sunday with 29 detained on Saturday on the streets.
The California Highway Patrol along the 101 Freeway made a further 17 arrests as they battled with protesters who managed to shut down the roads.
One person allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer.
Three LAPD officers were injured in total but no serious injuries have been reported.
At least five self-driving cars vehicles have been set on fire.
Around 300 National Guard troops have been deployed already with another 1,700 due to arrive shortly, according to President Trump.
500 Marines are on standby, the US Northern Command said
Today, 08:53 By Georgie English
Rioters are using deadly weapons - LAPD chief
The Los Angeles Police Department chief has told reporters his men and women are now risking their lives protecting LA due to the weapons being used by rioters.
LAPD's Jim McDonnell said this evening: "The violence is escalating...
"It's getting increasingly worse and more violent.
"We had individuals shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you."
Today, 08:46 By Georgie English
Scenes from downtown Los Angeles
Today, 08:45 By Georgie English
Rioters attack police with fireworks
By Georgie English
Brit photographer rushed to hospital after being hit by rubber police bullets
A British news photographer has gone in for emergency surgery after being hit by non-lethal bullets during the violent protests in Los Angeles.
Nick Stern was documenting the intense night of clashes outside a Home Depot in Paramount when a 14mm 'sponge bullet' tore through his thigh.
He was treated by a medic who urged him to go to hospital.
Nick even says he passed out from the pain at one point.
He spoke to reporters after being mended back to health and said: 'My initial concern was, were they firing live rounds?
'Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg.'
Today, 08:14 By Georgie English
FBI director says LA 'under siege by marauding criminals'
Kash Patel has joined Donald Trump and JD Vance in hitting out at 'political punch lines' in California over the response to the LA riots.
Patel said on X: "Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one's permission to enforce the constitution.
"My responsibility is to the American people, not political punch lines.
"LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you."
It comes as President Trump continues to disagree with California Governor Gavin Newsom over what is the correct action to repel the rioters.
Today, 07:43 By Georgie English
Armed police deployed on horseback to push back protestors
Today, 07:40 By Georgie English
Self-driving cars set alight in LA by rioters
Driverless taxi firm Waymo has been forced to suspend its services in downtown Los Angeles after several of its cars were hired out before being set on fire.
Horror footage shows a line of the fully automated cars burning on the streets as rioters protest nearby.
The LAPD has warned that burning electric vehicles can "release toxic gases".
Today, 07:37 By Georgie English
Protesters launch rocks at LAPD and force them to hide
Today, 07:36 By Georgie English
Arrests made in LA after protests
At least 10 people have been arrested across the riots on Sunday, LAPD cops confirmed.
Dozens more arrests have been made since protest forts broke out on Friday.
Today, 07:27 By Georgie English
Donald Trump speaks on LA riots as he says 'bring in the troops'
Today, 07:25 By Georgie English
Tensions simmer across LA tonight
The streets of Los Angeles have quieted down in recent moments despite there still being a very tense atmosphere.
In the last few hours there has been a few flare-ups with police with vandalism also ramping up, according to the BBC.
The majority of the violence appears to have stopped for now as people head back home for the night.
But a lot of uncertainty remains around how things may develop overnight.
Today, 07:18 By Georgie English
Police say looting has started in LA
The Los Angeles Police Department is saying that business owners in the city are reporting looting.
On X, the LAPD Central Division writes: "Business owners are reporting stores are being looted in the area of 6th St and Broadway. Officers are en route to the location to investigate."
They also urged people to avoid any areas due to the violent clashes.
Today, 07:14 By Georgie English
What is the US National Guard?
THE US National Guard is a reserve military force made up of part-time service members who typically hold civilian jobs but can be activated for federal or state duty.
Each state, territory, and the District of Columbia has its own National Guard, which can be mobilized by the state governor or the President.
Can the President call the National Guard for local matters?
Yes, but with limits.
Normally, governors deploy their state's National Guard to handle local emergencies like natural disasters, protests, or civil unrest.
The President can federalize the National Guard under specific laws, such as the Insurrection Act.
This allows them to respond to domestic unrest if it's deemed beyond the capacity of local or state authorities.
When federalized, National Guard troops operate under presidential command rather than the governor's.
While it's unusual, a president can deploy the National Guard into a state without a governor's consent if certain legal thresholds are met.
These typically involve threats to federal property, national security, or widespread breakdowns in public order.
However, such actions are often politically and legally controversial.
Today, 07:13 By Georgie English
Trump vs California
Despite the carnage flooding the streets, California's government has said they have the situation under control.
Governor Gavin Newsom even accused Trump of "inflaming tensions" by deploying the National Guard.
The pair have a long history of heated disputes over policy.
Newsom formerly requested Trump remove the guard members, which he called a "serious breach of state sovereignty".
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass added the arrival of troops is a "dangerous escalation".
She said: "We do not want to play in to the [Trump] administration's hands."
"What we're seeing in Los Angeles is chaos provoked by the administration."
Trump fired back at California's government as he called them "incompetent".
Newsom and Trump reportedly spoke for 40 minutes by phone on Saturday, though details of their conversation have not been disclosed.
The deployment of troops marks the first time in six decades that a state's National Guard was activated without a request from its governor, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.