The U.S. Marines said on Wednesday that its large military celebration planned this weekend at Camp Pendleton in Southern California would not close any public highway or transportation route, hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California raised fears of missiles soaring over Interstate 5.
The Marine Corps said in a statement that it would conduct “live-fire” activities, but that its event would take place at a beach west of the freeway. Earlier in the day, Mr. Newsom had raised alarms about the ceremony, and bemoaned what he described as the administration’s lack of planning with local authorities.
The episode was the latest example of how communications have broken down between Mr. Newsom and the Trump administration over all manner of activities, including the ceremony to honor the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps.
Camp Pendleton, near the city of Oceanside between San Diego and Los Angeles, is the Marine Corps’ largest training facility on the West Coast. It includes a portion of undeveloped coastline and sits close to Interstate 5, a heavily traveled corridor.
The White House previously announced that the Saturday event would feature “amphibious assault demonstrations” and that Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were scheduled to attend. But Mr. Newsom’s office said that three days before the celebration, California officials still had not received detailed information about the planned activities.
Mr. Newsom’s office raised alarms. His spokesman, Izzy Gardon, said that it had learned the military planned to use ordnance as part of the ceremony, possibly launching it from the sea, over Interstate 5 and onto some part of the base’s 125,000 acres.
Mr. Gardon said on Wednesday that the governor had begun coordinating with state transportation officials and the California Highway Patrol to potentially close the freeway as a public safety measure for parts of this weekend, a major shutdown of California’s primary north-south interstate.
“We are preparing for this potential scenario while we await clearer instruction from anyone in the federal government,” Mr. Gardon said.
Shortly before 10 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday, the Marines issued a statement explaining what it had in store. They said they would host a “live-fire Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration” at Red Beach, which is west of the freeway. They also said the exercise would occur on “approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols” without the need to close public roads.
“All air, surface and ground movements are scripted and rehearsed in accordance with standard operating procedures and established safety checklists,” the Marines said.
A related celebration is scheduled to take place afterward at Del Mar Beach, less than 10 miles south.
Mr. Gardon was not immediately available for comment after the Marines issued their statement.
The Camp Pendleton event with Mr. Vance and Mr. Hegseth, both of whom served in the military, is scheduled to fall on the same day that anti-Trump activists have planned a slew of “No Kings” protests around the country. In June, “No Kings” protests took place at the same time President Trump held a military parade in Washington.
The military event will be recorded by the White House Production Office to show in a national broadcast on Nov. 9.
Laurel Rosenhall is a Sacramento-based reporter covering California politics and government for The Times.
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