Trump to end deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in LA – DW – 07/16/2025
The Trump administration on Tuesday said it was ending the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles.
The figure accounts for half the number of troops deployed to LA last month, following protests over immigration raids in the city and surrounding communities.
"Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding," Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement in announcing the decision.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The Trump administration deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and roughly 700 Marines to LA last month to quell protests between law enforcement officers and protesters opposed to the US president's immigration policies.
By doing so, President Donald Trump became the first president in decades to federalize troops, bypassing the authority of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Newsom, a Democrat, sued the Trump administration, arguing among others things that Trump violated the law when he deployed the California National Guard troops despite his opposition.
The National Guard typically responds to domestic emergencies like natural disasters, overseas combat missions, counterdrug efforts or reconstruction projects.
In late June, the top military commander in charge of troops deployed to LA had asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to return 200 of them to wildfire fighting duty as California entered peak wildfire season.
Following the Pentagon's decision Tuesday, Newsom said in a statement that the National Guard's deployment to LA pulled troops away from their families and civilian work "to serve as political pawns for the President."
He added that the remaining troops "continue without a mission, without direction and without any hopes of returning to help their communities."
'We call on Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theater and send everyone home now,' he said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has also been vocal in opposition to the deployment of National Guard soldiers, applauded the troops' departure, writing: "This happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong. We organized peaceful protests, we came together at rallies, we took the Trump administration to court — all of this led to today's retreat."
"We will not stop making our voices heard until this ends, not just here in LA, but throughout our country," she added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
30 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
Balancing Act For Pro-Trump Influencers As Epstein Furor Spirals
Far-right MAGA influencers are treading a tightrope as outrage escalates over the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein: they are caught between a fired-up base demanding more information and President Donald Trump, who is eager to turn the page. Trump's core Make America Great Again base has erupted in anger over the White House's handling of the so-called "Epstein files," viewing it as a betrayal by the Republican and his allies who have long championed the unfounded theory that powerful elites orchestrated a massive child sex trafficking cover-up. Calls for the release of those files could intensify after a US media report on Wednesday said Trump's name was among hundreds found during an official review of documents on Epstein, a claim the White House has denied. Faced with a choice between alienating a base fervently demanding answers or defying Trump -- who has implored them to move on -- MAGA-aligned influencers and podcasters find themselves in a political bind. MAGA media are "definitely walking a fine line with the Epstein debacle," Mike Rothschild, an expert on conspiracy theories, told AFP. "Trump demanding that nobody talk about Epstein should be a betrayal for them. But they're so invested in supporting Trump, and have built their financial support around it, that they really can't do anything but make excuses and tie themselves in knots." Some MAGA influencers, however, turned sharply critical in recent weeks. Among them is Rogan O'Handley, who was invited to the White House in February alongside a handful of influencers and presented with binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1," only to find they offered little new information. "This is a shameful coverup to protect the most heinous elites," O'Handley told his 2.2 million followers on X earlier this month. "We were told multiple times the files would be released and now it looks like backroom deals have been made to keep them hidden." Charlie Kirk, a Trump loyalist and podcaster, faced an avalanche of criticism from the MAGA base after he initially said he was "done talking" about Epstein, and added he was going to trust "my friends in the administration." "Trump's base has been fanatically loyal, and influencers are hesitant about opposing Trump directly if that threatens the size of their audiences," Matt Gertz, senior fellow at the watchdog Media Matters for America, told AFP. Fueling the MAGA base's anger were conclusions from the Justice Department and FBI that Epstein -- a disgraced financier who died in jail in 2019 -- did not maintain a "client list" as conspiracy theorists have contended. Attorney General Pam Bondi emerged as their key target for criticism after announcing no more information would be forthcoming. But Trump has defended Bondi, while claiming without evidence on Truth Social that the Epstein files were written by his political rivals "Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the losers and criminals of the Biden administration." That response prompted disbelief from Benny Johnson, a longtime Trump supporter and right-wing podcaster. " By admitting that the Epstein Files are real, and that you've read them, and you don't like their contents, and they were written by your enemies, it doesn't make the most compelling case as far as I'm concerned. Holy moly," Johnson said. Seeking to redirect attention within the MAGA base -- an echo chamber fueled by constant grievance and outrage -- Trump has launched attacks on familiar enemies: former president Barack Obama and the media. The White House has promoted the unfounded claim that Obama led a "years-long coup" against Trump around his victorious 2016 election. The former president has rejected the claim. The White House has also barred The Wall Street Journal from traveling with Trump during his upcoming visit to Scotland, after the newspaper reported that he wrote a bawdy birthday message to Epstein. Trump on Friday sued the WSJ and its media magnate owner Rupert Murdoch for at least $10 billion over the allegation in the article, which Trump denies. Following those moves, Stephen Bannon, host of the influential "War Room" podcast, sought to rally influencers behind Trump, telling US media that the MAGA base was "completely unified because now we're on offense." "The MAGA media's take on the Epstein case is both fractured and very much a moving target," said Gertz. "Trump's recent attacks on The Wall Street Journal and new conspiracy theories about Obama seem to be refocusing their attention away from Epstein -- though it's unclear for how long, particularly given the new revelation that Trump himself is named in the files."
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Trump admin sues New York over 'sanctuary city' policies – DW – 07/25/2025
New York is one of a number of US cities which prohibit local police from arresting people based on their immigration status. US President Donald Trump's administration sued New York City on Thursday over its "sanctuary city" policies, arguing they are obstructing the federal government's ability to enforce immigration law. New York is one of a number of US cities that prohibit local police from making arrests based on a person's immigration status. The sanctuary cities also limit their cooperation and information sharing with federal authorities. Trump has repeatedly criticized such policies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "If New York City won't stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will." The lawsuit against New York City also names Mayor Eric Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and numerous other city officials and departments. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said New York City "has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws. "Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now," Shumate said. The US president has been cracking down on undocumented migrants in the country, ramping up detentions and deportations. The Trump administration has previously sued other sanctuary cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as states like Colorado and Illinois for interfering with immigration enforcement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The suit comes after the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer in a Manhattan park over the weekend. The officer was off duty and not in uniform at the time. The Trump administration on Monday blamed the city's sanctuary policies for the shooting. Authorities have said the two men apprehended in connection with the incident have been arrested a number of times since they entered the US illegally from the Dominican Republic in recent years. Trump has repeatedly said that undocumented migrants are disproportionately responsible for crime. During his presidential campaign, he likened them to "animals" and "monsters," and vowed to launch the biggest deportation drive in US history.
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
White House Lashes Out At 'South Park' Trump Parody
The White House on Thursday lashed out at the creators of "South Park" after the bawdy satire skewered Donald Trump in an episode featuring an AI-generated version of the US president crawling naked through a desert. In a no-holds-barred season premiere, the animated Trump character is also seen begging Satan for sex, only to be rebuffed -- in part because his penis is too small. The White House was not amused. "This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention," spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. "President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history -- and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak." The adult animated series, which frequently touches on hot-button issues in American life, is now in its 27th season and remains one of the world's most valuable TV shows. The season premiere begins with the foul-mouthed Cartman appalled that NPR has been taken off the air by the president, while Randy, a parent, is disturbed by the presence of Jesus in public elementary school. Complaints to the fictional White House receive only a threat from Trump to sue the mountain town of South Park for billions of dollars. Meanwhile, animated Trump is threatening to bomb Canada "like I did Iraq." "I thought you just bombed Iran," the Canadian prime minister replies. "Iran, Iraq, what the hell's the difference?" replies Trump. The episode, which sees the fictional Trump ride rough-shod over many aspects of American life, ends after the town of South Park makes a financial deal with the president that includes an agreement to make public service announcements. The AI generated short that follows -- ostensibly one of those announcements -- shows an overweight Trump staggering through a desert as a narrator casts him as a latter-day Jesus. The short ends with a naked Trump as the narrator says: "Trump. His penis is teeny-tiny, but his love for us is large." The episode aired days after creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone reportedly penned a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount that gives the company global rights. The deal comes at a sensitive time for Paramount, which is trying to secure government approval for a multi-billion-dollar merger with entertainment company Skydance. The CBS parent caused a furor this month when it agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit Trump had brought over an interview the storied "60 Minutes" current affairs program aired with Kamala Harris ahead of last November's election. The payment was criticized by Democrats as little more than a bribe to help smooth the merger, with Paramount initially dismissing Trump's lawsuit as meritless. Last week CBS sparked fury after it cancelled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" whose host is a pointed critic of the president. The network insisted it was a financial decision, but opponents have painted the move as the latest example of American institutions bowing to Trump.
