‘First of many': Trump's warning as court request denied
US President Donald Trump has warned Americans that ICE raids seen in California are 'the first of many', defending National Guard and Marine mobilisation, as a Federal court denies an emergency block request.
Protests and riots have broken out across large parts of Los Angeles and surrounding areas after Mr Trump ordered ICE raids to remove illegal immigrants from the United States and mobilised 4000 National Guard troops and around 700 marines in response to protests.
Mr Trump on Tuesday (local time) said he had called California Governor Gavin Newsom to tell him 'you gotta do a better job'.
'He is causing a lot of death, a lot of potential death.
'If we didn't send the national guard... you would have... Los Angeles would be burning right now.
'You gotta remember we have the Olympics coming.
'We have people they look in your face, they spit right in your face, they are animals.
'They are paid insurrectionists
'We ended it and we have in custody some very bad people.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Mr Trump warned Americans they should expect to see more large scale ICE operations across the United States.
'We're moving murderers out of our country who were put here by Biden
'We're gonna get them out. We're getting them out.
'We don't want them. They come from jails, they come from mental institutions.
'We're not going to let them stay.
'This is the first of perhaps of many.
'I can inform the rest of the country, that when they do it, if they do it, they will be met with equal or greater force. We did a great job.'
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Governor Newsom took aim at Mr Trump, saying he was 'behaving like a tyrant, not a President.'
'By turning the military against American citizens, he is threatening the very core of our democracy,' he wrote on X.
'I'm asking the court to immediately block these unlawful actions.'
Governor Newsom had filed an emergency motion with a Federal judge, asking them to immediately block the 'ongoing and unnecessary militarisation of Los Angeles'.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
However, hours after lodging the emergency block request, a Federal judge denied the restraining order. A hearing has been set.
Senior US District Judge Charles R. Breyer asked both the State of California and the Trump Administration to submit more detail before he hears the case on Thursday.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called for demonstrations to continue but pleaded for vandalism and violence to be stopped.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Protests have spilled out of California across the US, with Americans mobilising in places like New York and Texas.
If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
More to come...
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The home politics of Trump's America Alone should not torpedo AUKUS
The decision by the United States to review the AUKUS submarine deal with two of its most faithful allies has rung alarm bells in Canberra, despite the claims from our leaders that we have nothing to fear. In some ways, the review was inevitable. Last October, a US Congressional Research Service report showed America's boat-building program was behind schedule and nowhere near able to supply the first of Australia's AUKUS nuclear submarines on time. The US review is being carried out under President Donald Trump's 'America First' mantra and his nation's ongoing political instability suggests Australia would be wise to conduct its own oversight. Under the first pillar of the pact, Australia will buy three to five nuclear-powered submarines from the US, starting in the 2030s, and build more through a joint initiative with the US and UK. Under the second pillar, the three nations will collaborate on advanced defence technologies. Australia is also contributing at least $4.6 billion to the US defence industrial base to shore up submarine production; $800 million has already been paid. The deal was announced in 2021 under then prime minister Scott Morrison and then US president Joe Biden. Trump's 'America First' has distorted many accepted beliefs about alliances. The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's intimidatory call for Australia to boost defence spending by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of GDP in the near term was a clear trampling of sovereignty brushed aside by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Now with Trump banging the drum loudly on China and Taiwan, the US review accentuates Australia's sovereignty vulnerability in signing up to the trilateral security partnership that permits a US president to refuse to release the boats to Australia if it is required for American defence priorities. The AUKUS partnership was built on a mutual strength, obligations and respect for sovereignty. The 'America Alone' mindset, while playing big to some of the folks back home, has echoes of the 1930s that, if allowed to fully flower, will further weaken America as world admiration for its values fades. The University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre found support for AUKUS's second pillar funding and future translation of basic research into capability was nascent and unco-ordinated. Given such problems, it is entirely possible that the timing of the review announcement and Trump's obsession with being seen to obtain the best deal in all circumstances are attempts to unbalance Albanese on the eve of their expected meeting at next week's G7 summit, and gain Australian concessions. Defence Minister Richard Marles indicated there were no contingency plans should the AUKUS partnership sink. 'Chopping and changing guarantees, you will never have the capability ... There is a plan here, we are sticking to it, and we're going to deliver it,' he told ABC radio on Thursday.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Australia to go all in for AUKUS despite US review
Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal". Australia could be forced to re-pitch its case for the AUKUS security pact to the US as critics seize on the Trump administration's month-long review to call for the plan to be dumped. The Pentagon will examine whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy amid concerns in Washington the deal could leave the nation short of submarines. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s for $368 billion. The three-nation deal was signed between the US, Australia and the UK in 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration. Mr Morrison said the US defence department was "well within its remit" to launch the review and it was not unlike a UK assessment after the election of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "Now is the time for Australia to make the case again," he said. "We have a good case to make in both our own interests and those of our AUKUS partners, especially in the US." Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government had known of the review for weeks and he was confident the AUKUS agreement would proceed under the Trump administration. Asked if there was a "plan B" in case the agreement was torn up, he said Australia needed to stick with the existing deal to acquire nuclear submarines. "Chopping and changing guarantees you will never have the capability ... there is a plan here, we are sticking to it and we're going to deliver it," Mr Marles told ABC Radio. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US and have warned the deal might jeopardise the US Navy's capabilities. Australia handed over almost $800 million to the US in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its submarine production. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, to be released in full on Monday, found two-thirds of Australians either somewhat or strongly backed acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Executive director Michael Fullilove said the government needed to ensure the Trump administration understood the agreement was also in America's national interest. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. Australian National University naval studies expert Jennifer Parker said the nation should be using the opportunity to restate its position. "It would be hard to make an argument that it is in the US interest to fundamentally change or cancel AUKUS," she said. But former Labor prime minister Paul Keating, a strong AUKUS critic, said the review might be the moment "Washington saves Australia from itself". Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has also criticised the agreement, said Australia should follow in the footsteps of the UK and US and conduct a review. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, said walking away from Australia and the UK would have "far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage". Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said if AUKUS fell over, all nations would pay a heavy price. "The coalition stands ready to work with Labor to make sure that AUKUS is a success," he said. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time for the government to open an inquiry into the "dud deal".
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Marines on LA streets will have power to make arrests
US Marines will join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within two days, officials say, and will be authorised to detain anyone who interferes with immigration officers on raids or protesters who confront federal agents. US President Donald Trump ordered the deployments over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and animating protests that have spread from Los Angeles to other major cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. Los Angeles on Wednesday endured a sixth day of protests that have been largely peaceful but occasionally punctuated by violence, mostly contained to a few blocks of the city's downtown area. The protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday. "If I didn't act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary and illegal deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian. Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice. "President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US military said on Wednesday that a battalion of 700 Marines had concluded training specific to the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control. They would join National Guard under the authority of a federal law known as Title 10 within 48 hours, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property, the military said. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest." US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force of Marines and Guardsmen, told reporters the Marines would not carry live ammunition in their rifles, but they would carry live rounds. Newsom and the state of California have sued Trump and the Defense Department to stop the deployment, maintaining that none of the Title 10 conditions were met to justify military deployment, such as a when the US is under threat from a foreign invasion or rebellion. In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a 2.5 square kilometre area, relative calm was broken. Police said demonstrators at one location threw commercial grade fireworks and rocks at officers. Another group of nearly 1000 demonstrators were peacefully marching through downtown when police suddenly opened fired with less lethal munitions in front of City Hall. Other protests have also taken place in Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles as well as major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston and Washington and San Antonio, Texas. The protests are set to expand on Saturday, when several activist groups have planned more than 1800 anti-Trump demonstrations across the country. That day, tanks and other armoured vehicles will rumble down the streets of Washington, DC, in a military parade marking the US Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday. US Marines will join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within two days, officials say, and will be authorised to detain anyone who interferes with immigration officers on raids or protesters who confront federal agents. US President Donald Trump ordered the deployments over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and animating protests that have spread from Los Angeles to other major cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. Los Angeles on Wednesday endured a sixth day of protests that have been largely peaceful but occasionally punctuated by violence, mostly contained to a few blocks of the city's downtown area. The protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday. "If I didn't act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary and illegal deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian. Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice. "President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US military said on Wednesday that a battalion of 700 Marines had concluded training specific to the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control. They would join National Guard under the authority of a federal law known as Title 10 within 48 hours, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property, the military said. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest." US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force of Marines and Guardsmen, told reporters the Marines would not carry live ammunition in their rifles, but they would carry live rounds. Newsom and the state of California have sued Trump and the Defense Department to stop the deployment, maintaining that none of the Title 10 conditions were met to justify military deployment, such as a when the US is under threat from a foreign invasion or rebellion. In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a 2.5 square kilometre area, relative calm was broken. Police said demonstrators at one location threw commercial grade fireworks and rocks at officers. Another group of nearly 1000 demonstrators were peacefully marching through downtown when police suddenly opened fired with less lethal munitions in front of City Hall. Other protests have also taken place in Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles as well as major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston and Washington and San Antonio, Texas. The protests are set to expand on Saturday, when several activist groups have planned more than 1800 anti-Trump demonstrations across the country. That day, tanks and other armoured vehicles will rumble down the streets of Washington, DC, in a military parade marking the US Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday. US Marines will join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within two days, officials say, and will be authorised to detain anyone who interferes with immigration officers on raids or protesters who confront federal agents. US President Donald Trump ordered the deployments over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and animating protests that have spread from Los Angeles to other major cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. Los Angeles on Wednesday endured a sixth day of protests that have been largely peaceful but occasionally punctuated by violence, mostly contained to a few blocks of the city's downtown area. The protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday. "If I didn't act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary and illegal deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian. Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice. "President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US military said on Wednesday that a battalion of 700 Marines had concluded training specific to the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control. They would join National Guard under the authority of a federal law known as Title 10 within 48 hours, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property, the military said. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest." US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force of Marines and Guardsmen, told reporters the Marines would not carry live ammunition in their rifles, but they would carry live rounds. Newsom and the state of California have sued Trump and the Defense Department to stop the deployment, maintaining that none of the Title 10 conditions were met to justify military deployment, such as a when the US is under threat from a foreign invasion or rebellion. In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a 2.5 square kilometre area, relative calm was broken. Police said demonstrators at one location threw commercial grade fireworks and rocks at officers. Another group of nearly 1000 demonstrators were peacefully marching through downtown when police suddenly opened fired with less lethal munitions in front of City Hall. Other protests have also taken place in Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles as well as major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston and Washington and San Antonio, Texas. The protests are set to expand on Saturday, when several activist groups have planned more than 1800 anti-Trump demonstrations across the country. That day, tanks and other armoured vehicles will rumble down the streets of Washington, DC, in a military parade marking the US Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday. US Marines will join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within two days, officials say, and will be authorised to detain anyone who interferes with immigration officers on raids or protesters who confront federal agents. US President Donald Trump ordered the deployments over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, sparking a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and animating protests that have spread from Los Angeles to other major cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. Los Angeles on Wednesday endured a sixth day of protests that have been largely peaceful but occasionally punctuated by violence, mostly contained to a few blocks of the city's downtown area. The protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday. "If I didn't act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary and illegal deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian. Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice. "President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US military said on Wednesday that a battalion of 700 Marines had concluded training specific to the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control. They would join National Guard under the authority of a federal law known as Title 10 within 48 hours, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property, the military said. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest." US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force of Marines and Guardsmen, told reporters the Marines would not carry live ammunition in their rifles, but they would carry live rounds. Newsom and the state of California have sued Trump and the Defense Department to stop the deployment, maintaining that none of the Title 10 conditions were met to justify military deployment, such as a when the US is under threat from a foreign invasion or rebellion. In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a 2.5 square kilometre area, relative calm was broken. Police said demonstrators at one location threw commercial grade fireworks and rocks at officers. Another group of nearly 1000 demonstrators were peacefully marching through downtown when police suddenly opened fired with less lethal munitions in front of City Hall. Other protests have also taken place in Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles as well as major cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston and Washington and San Antonio, Texas. The protests are set to expand on Saturday, when several activist groups have planned more than 1800 anti-Trump demonstrations across the country. That day, tanks and other armoured vehicles will rumble down the streets of Washington, DC, in a military parade marking the US Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday.
