President Donald Trump is sending 200 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles on Friday, marking a dramatic escalation in his response to intensifying protests over immigration raids and federal enforcement operations. The Marines will bolster the 4,000-strong National Guard presence already on the ground, despite ongoing legal and political resistance from California state officials.
The Marines, typically reserved for foreign conflicts, will be outfitted in riot control gear to defend a federal building in Los Angeles beginning at noon local time. Pentagon officials confirmed the move as part of a larger deployment involving 700 Marines. This decision adds to growing national debate over the president’s authority to deploy active-duty troops on American soil in response to domestic unrest.
The deployment coincides with heightened tensions nationwide as Trump prepares to oversee a military parade in Washington, D.C., commemorating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and his 79th birthday. The parade, featuring tanks and heavy artillery, is the first of its kind in decades and has drawn criticism from the “No Kings” movement, which plans to stage protests in over 2,000 locations across the country.
In Los Angeles, protests erupted following sweeping ICE raids aimed at detaining and deporting undocumented migrants. Demonstrations have ranged from peaceful gatherings to violent clashes with police. Trump bypassed Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections to activate the California National Guard, asserting the unrest justified federal intervention.
Trump stated Los Angeles would be “burning to the ground” without the Guard, a claim federal courts have contested. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled Thursday that Trump’s move to seize control of the Guard from Newsom was unlawful, stating the situation fell short of the “rebellion” Trump described. A federal appeals court has temporarily stayed the ruling pending a full hearing.
The Department of Justice criticized the judge’s ruling as an “extraordinary intrusion” into presidential powers. Meanwhile, backlash has intensified following the controversial arrest of Democrat Senator Alex Padilla, who was forcibly removed from a press event by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Video footage contradicts the White House’s claim that Padilla was the aggressor.
Protesters in Los Angeles continue to voice opposition to the raids and federal militarization, claiming they represent a breakdown of civil liberties. Demonstrators say they are fighting for those detained and deported without a voice, as federal and local authorities brace for a volatile weekend ahead.
