California’s Gavin Newsom tears into Trump admin for deploying National Guard to LA without his nod, says move is meant to ‘fan the flames’ of immigration unrest.Taking to X, Newsom wrote, “Donald Trump has manufactured a crisis and is inflaming conditions. If he can’t solve it, we will. To the bad actors fueling Trump’s flames, California will hold you accountable.”The clash erupted after Trump authorised the federal deployment under Title 10 of the US Code, overriding Newsom’s objections. This move means the National Guard now reports directly to the president instead of the governor. It marks the first time such federalisation has occurred since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.Newsom responded sharply to Trump ally JD Vance’s praise of the president’s “decisive leadership”, retorting, “Decisive leadership? You didn’t even know when your own National Guard was deployed on the ground. Stop fanning the flames.”Protests in LA began on Friday following the arrest of at least 44 individuals by federal immigration agents. Demonstrators took to the streets, clashed with law enforcement, and blocked freeways. Tear gas and flash-bangs were used by police over the weekend. The Trump administration claimed local officials had lost control, with Trump posting on Truth Social, “We’ll solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”However, Newsom and LA officials disputed the severity. “This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust,” Newsom said, adding, “LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice… there is currently no unmet need.”LA Mayor Karen Bass also pushed back, stating on X, “Just to be clear, the National Guard has not been deployed in the City of Los Angeles.” About 300 troops later arrived Sunday.The Trump administration maintained the move was necessary. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the soldiers were there to “maintain peace”. Trump himself said, “We’ll see what happens.”Amnesty International called the deployment “dangerous,” saying it was meant “to target and punish those who speak out in defense of human rights.”Newsom concluded in a post, “Trump is sending 2,000 National Guard troops into LA County — not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis.”Former presidential candidate Kamala Harris also joined in to condemn the action taken by the US government, calling it a “calculated agenda to spread panic.”
