Latest news with #Northcom
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Los Angeles braces for arrival of more troops in ‘crisis of Trump's own making'
Los Angeles was bracing for new troop arrivals on Tuesday after a quieter night following days of protests over federal immigration raids on local businesses and the Trump administration's decision to deploy soldiers against US residents. The initial deployment of 300 national guard troops is expected to quickly expand to the full 4,000 that has been authorized by Donald Trump, with an additional 700 marines who could begin arriving on Tuesday. The US Northern Command, or Northcom, said in a statement on Monday that marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division 'will seamlessly integrate' with forces 'who are protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area'. Related: 'The language of authoritarianism': how Trump and allies cast LA as a lawless city needing military intervention Northcom added that the forces had been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force – and that approximately 1,700 soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a California national guard unit, were already in the greater Los Angeles area. The national guard and marine detachments were being dispatched to the US's second largest city over the objections of California's governor, Gavin Newsom, and local officials. The state is suing the Trump administration over the deployment, claiming the president illegally federalized the national guard to confront protesters in Los Angeles. California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Monday that the state's sovereignty was 'trampled'. But Trump countered that his administration had 'no choice' but to send in troops. The national guard are not believed to be involved in crowd control but assigned to protect federal property. 'If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great city would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. do to an incompetent Governor and Mayor,' Trump posted to Truth Social early on Tuesday, referring to the response to wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles county late last year. Trump later deleted that post and published another with the correct spelling of 'due'. But the deployment is strongly opposed by California Democrats – as well as every Democratic governor in the US. Senator Alex Padilla told the Associated Press on Tuesday that protests against the US's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as well as the subsequent legal showdown between his state and the government 'is absolutely a crisis of Trump's own making'. 'There are a lot of people who are passionate about speaking up for fundamental rights and respecting due process, but the deployment of national guard only serves to escalate tensions and the situation,' Padilla said. 'It's exactly what Donald Trump wanted to do.' Padilla said the Los Angeles sheriff's department had not been advised of the federalization of the national guard. He said his office had pressed the Pentagon for a justification, and 'as far as we're told, the Department of Defense isn't sure what the mission is here'. 'Los Angeles is no stranger to demonstrations and protests and rallies and marches,' Padilla added. 'Local law enforcement knows how to handle this and has a rapport with the community and community leaders to be able to allow for that.' The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, signaled support on his personal X account for deploying troops to California. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty US Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' he posted on X. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers – even if Gavin Newsom will not.' On Tuesday Hegseth testified before the House appropriations subcommittee on defense. The meeting was expected to focus on the nearly $1tn budget request for 2026, but Democrats were quick to question the defense secretary on the controversial move to deploy national guard and marines to LA. Under questioning from Peter Aguilar, US representative for California's 33rd congressional district, Hegseth said national guard and federal forces had been sent into a 'deteriorating situation with equipment and capabilities'. 'We here to maintain the peace on behalf of law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won't do,' he said. Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, asked the secretary about the cost of the deployment, and what training and other duties the troops were missing because of their presence in Los Angeles. Hegseth said in response that Ice 'has the right to safely conduct operations in any state and any jurisdiction in the country'. 'The police chief said she was overwhelmed, so we helped.' Jim McDonnell, the LA police chief, said on Monday that the department and its local partners have decades of experiencing responding to large-scale demonstrations and that they were confident in their ability to continue doing so. 'The arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles, absent clear coordination, presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,' he said.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon to deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles
The U.S. military is set to temporarily move about 700 Marines to Los Angeles, further increasing military presence in the city after the Trump administration ordered 2,000 California National Guard troops there over the weekend, U.S. Northern Command announced Monday. The command has activated the Marine infantry battalion that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth placed on prepare to deploy orders over the weekend amid ongoing protests against raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a Northcom statement. Approximately 700 Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based out of Twentynine Palms in California, 'will seamlessly integrate' with the National Guard troops already deployed to Los Angeles to protect federal personnel and property, Northcom said. The command noted that the Marines had been 'trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force.' Hegseth in a post on X later noted the deployment, attributing it to increased threats to federal officers and buildings. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' he wrote before taking a shot at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers – even if Gavin Newsom will not,' he concluded. It is not clear if the Marines will actually be placed on the ground or if they will remain on standby, though Newsom's press office said it was their understanding that the service members are not being deployed as there is a difference between that and being mobilized. In a statement posted to X, Newsom's press office also bashed the movement of Marines as 'mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens.' 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented,' the office added. The move is likely to further inflame tensions between California officials and the Trump administration, which have locked horns over how to respond to protests in Los Angeles and surrounding suburbs against federal immigration raids. President Trump has insisted the deployment – only the second time in the past 60 years that a U.S. president has mobilized a state's National Guard troops without the consent of its governor – is necessary to stop protests against ICE. 'The people that are causing the problem are professional agitators. They're insurrectionists. They're bad people. They should be in jail,' Trump told reporters on Monday. Trump also on Monday said he'd support the arrest of Newsom. But Newson has accused the Pentagon of 'lying to the American people' in justifying deploying service members within the state, asserting that the situation intensified only when the U.S. military deployed troops. Newsom has formally demanded the Trump administration pull the National Guard troops off the streets, and California has sued the Trump administration over what its officials say is an 'unlawful' deployment. This story was updated at 6:31 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Pentagon to deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles
The U.S. military is set to temporarily move about 700 Marines to Los Angeles, further increasing military presence in the city after the Trump administration ordered 2,000 California National Guard troops there over the weekend, U.S. Northern Command announced Monday. The command has activated the Marine infantry battalion that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth placed on prepare to deploy orders over the weekend amid ongoing protests against raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a Northcom statement. Approximately 700 Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based out of Twentynine Palms in California, 'will seamlessly integrate' with the National Guard troops already deployed to Los Angeles to protect federal personnel and property, Northcom said. The command noted that the Marines had been 'trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force.' It is not clear if the Marines will actually be placed on the ground or if they will remain on standby, though the press office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said it was their understanding that the service members are not being deployed as there is a difference between that and being mobilized. In a statement posted to X, Newsom's press office also bashed the movement of Marines as 'mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens.' 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented,' the office added. The move is likely to further inflame tensions between California officials and the Trump administration, which have locked horns over how to respond to protests in Los Angeles and surrounding suburbs against federal immigration raids. President Trump has insisted the deployment – only the second time in the past 60 years that a U.S. president has mobilized a state's National Guard troops without the consent of its governor – is necessary to stop protests against ICE. 'The people that are causing the problem are professional agitators. They're insurrectionists. They're bad people. They should be in jail,' Trump told reporters on Monday. Trump also on Monday said he'd support the arrest of Newsom. But Newson has accused the Pentagon of 'lying to the American people' in justifying deploying service members within the state, asserting that the situation intensified only when the U.S. military deployed troops. Newsom has formally demanded the Trump administration pull the National Guard troops off the streets, and California has sued the Trump administration over what its officials say is an 'unlawful' deployment.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US shifting Greenland military oversight in ownership push
The Pentagon plans to move its oversight of Greenland from U.S. European Command to U.S. Northern Command, a switch that would bring the Denmark-aligned island closer to alignment with the United States. The change, first reported by Politico, comes as President Trump has repeatedly expressed an interest in taking control of the autonomous territory, where the U.S. military houses a base. Trump on the campaign trail and after taking office has said the U.S. taking control Greenland is a national security issue. Shifting the responsibility for U.S. security interests in Greenland to Northcom, the military command that oversees America's homeland defense, would largely be symbolic but underscores Trump's focus on the territory. The move could come as soon as this week, a Defense Department official and two people familiar with the planning told Politico. The Pentagon did not return a request for comment from The Hill. Reports first emerged last month that the Trump administration was mulling the move as Greenland is part of the North American continent, even as it is associated with Europe politically and culturally given it is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Trump in his first term floated the notion of buying Greenland, but in his second term has doubled down on the idea. He has declined to rule out using military force in taking the island. 'I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything,' Trump said in a May 4 interview with NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'We need Greenland very badly,' he added. 'Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we'll take care of and we'll cherish them and all of that. But we need that for international security.' Trump's threats have frustrated and alarmed officials in Greenland and Denmark, who have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale. The switch of Greenland to Northcom, while leaving Denmark and the semi-autonomous Faroe Islands under Eucom, is likely to further worry Copenhagen and European allies. One person familiar with the move told Politico the Danish government has not been formally briefed on the plan. Relations with Denmark have already been strained following a Wall Street Journal report early last month that the United States had ordered its intelligence agencies to step up its spying efforts on Greenland. The article prompted Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen to 'call in' the U.S. acting ambassador to Denmark for talks, saying the report is 'somewhat disturbing' and 'worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends.' Northcom is mainly responsible for U.S. homeland security such as missions at the southern border, air and missile defense, and convening with Canada and Mexico on joint security issues. Proponents of moving Greenland under Northcom have argued the switch makes sense given the U.S. has long had a military presence on the island, Pituffik Space Base, and the island is far closer to North America than to Europe and the U.S. command center there. Greenland is also seen as a vital outpost in countering Russia and China in the Arctic as well as missile defense. Despite the push to acquire Greenland, the Trump administration's recent attempts to make inroads with its officials and residents have fallen flat. Vice President Vance in March visited Pituffik, where he urged the territory to 'cut a deal' with the U.S. government. Vance only briefly visited the base after plans for a larger trip were scrapped due to protests on the island and uproar from Greenland and Danish officials who said the vice president hadn't been formally invited and U.S. officials hadn't consulted them on his itinerary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
US shifting Greenland military oversight in ownership push
The Pentagon plans to move its oversight of Greenland from U.S. European Command to U.S. Northern Command, a switch that would bring the Denmark-aligned island closer to alignment with the United States. The change, first reported by Politico, comes as President Trump has repeatedly expressed an interest in taking control of the autonomous territory, where the U.S. military houses a base. Trump on the campaign trail and after taking office has said the U.S. taking control Greenland is a national security issue. Shifting the responsibility for U.S. security interests in Greenland to Northcom, the military command that oversees America's homeland defense, would largely be symbolic but underscores Trump's focus on the territory. The move could come as soon as this week, a Defense Department official and two people familiar with the planning told Politico. The Pentagon did not return a request for comment from The Hill. Reports first emerged last month that the Trump administration was mulling the move as Greenland is part of the North American continent, even as it is associated with Europe politically and culturally given it is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Trump in his first term floated the notion of buying Greenland, but in his second term has doubled down on the idea. He has declined to rule out using military force in taking the island. 'I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything,' Trump said in a May 4 interview with NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'We need Greenland very badly,' he added. 'Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we'll take care of and we'll cherish them and all of that. But we need that for international security.' Trump's threats have frustrated and alarmed officials in Greenland and Denmark, who have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale. The switch of Greenland to Northcom, while leaving Denmark and the semi-autonomous Faroe Islands under Eucom, is likely to further worry Copenhagen and European allies. One person familiar with the move told Politico the Danish government has not been formally briefed on the plan. Relations with Denmark have already been strained following a Wall Street Journal report early last month that the United States had ordered its intelligence agencies to step up its spying efforts on Greenland. The article prompted Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen to 'call in' the U.S. acting ambassador to Denmark for talks, saying the report is 'somewhat disturbing' and 'worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends.' Northcom is mainly responsible for U.S. homeland security such as missions at the southern border, air and missile defense, and convening with Canada and Mexico on joint security issues. Proponents of moving Greenland under Northcom have argued the switch makes sense given the U.S. has long had a military presence on the island, Pituffik Space Base, and the island is far closer to North America than to Europe and the U.S. command center there. Greenland is also seen as a vital outpost in countering Russia and China in the Arctic as well as missile defense. Despite the push to acquire Greenland, the Trump administration's recent attempts to make inroads with its officials and residents have fallen flat. Vice President Vance in March visited Pituffik, where he urged the territory to 'cut a deal' with the U.S. government. Vance only briefly visited the base after plans for a larger trip were scrapped due to protests on the island and uproar from Greenland and Danish officials who said the vice president hadn't been formally invited and U.S. officials hadn't consulted them on his itinerary.
