As President Donald Trump mobilizes another 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid anti-Immigrations and Customs Enforcements (ICE) protests in Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom called out Trump’s “theatrical display of toughness” and said the president has “crossed a red line in this country.”
In a severe escalation of federal involvement, Trump signed an order on Saturday authorizing the deployment of National Guard troops, 300 of which were sent to L.A. without the request or consent of city and state officials. The National Guard was last activated without a governor’s permission in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson bypassed Alabama’s segregationist Governor George Wallace and sent the troops to protect civil rights protesters marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
When speaking with Pod Saves America on Monday, Newsom responded to threats of arrest by the president and his administration, while also lambasting Trump for inciting chaos, using valuable resources, and militarizing city streets. On Monday, border czar Tom Homan said that there was currently “no discussion” about arresting the governor, but didn’t rule out the idea. When asked if Homan should arrest Gavin, Trump replied: “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great. Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing. He’s done a terrible job.”
Gavin shot back at Trump’s remarks during the podcast interview, saying, “I never, ever imagined the President of the United States of America ever saying that about a political opponent.” Remaining defiant, the governor said, “Can we just get it over with?” He added, “They’re just weakness masquerading as strength. They’re cosplay.”
Gavin warned that Trump was taking National Guard members “off assignments on forest management, protecting vulnerable communities against summer and wildfire season” and was “removing them from task forces that we’ve created to deal with fentanyl interdiction.” The governor called Trump’s order a “theatrical display of toughness by a president of the United States who’s unhinged. It has now crossed a red line in this country.”
“We need peaceful protests, but we’ve got elements now coming in that are intentionally trying to create chaos and putting people in harm’s way, and it’s my biggest fear when we start to militarize our streets and they know this,” Gavin continued. “Trump knows this. It’s what he wants. He wants that engagement, and he wants that friction. And I just pray that we can keep people safe and that people are thoughtful as they peacefully protest.”
