California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration early Monday morning over the president’s deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, even as the LAPD chief admitted Sunday his cops “are overwhelmed” by the violent anti-ICE riots taking over the city.
Newsom announced he’ll be suing the admin after he sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Sunday, formally requesting that he rescind the “unlawful” deployment of troops and return them to state control, as there was “currently no need” for the Guardsmen.
“At present, law enforcement authorities from the City and County of Los Angeles are safeguarding public safety, and, as demonstrated by the robust law enforcement response yesterday evening to protect federal facilities, local law enforcement resources are sufficient to maintain order,” Newsom wrote in the letter.
He claimed the Trump administration — which said it would deploy 2,000 National Guard troops — did not coordinate its sending in of the troops with his office, as required by the directive.
At the same time, the Department of Defense warned it has 500 Marines ready to deploy to the California city “if violence continues.”
Los Angeles delved further into chaos Sunday night, on the third day of protests against ICE officers’ raids in the city.
At least 2,000 rioters shut down the 101 Freeway, while others hurled fireworks and concrete blocks at officers, two drove motorcycles into the police line, and another group lit several driverless Waymo cars on fire — sending toxic fumes into the air, according to the LAPD.
Looters reportedly began ransacking stores later in the night, police said as they declared all of downtown LA an unlawful assembly area.
Cops have also fired pellets and tear gas at the crowds, striking numerous protesters and media working on site. At least three officers have been injured and at least 27 people have been arrested on Sunday.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell called the barbarity “disgusting” during a news conference, where he said the protests have gotten “increasingly worse and more violent.”
“We are overwhelmed,” McDonnell said, according to NBC Los Angeles. “Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you.”
Newsom blamed the chaos and violence on Trump’s involvement.
“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom wrote on X.
“Rescind the order. Return control to California.”
Newsom debuted his soon-to-be-filed lawsuit against the Trump administration later Sunday evening and accused the president of being “a stone-cold liar.” In his announcement, he claimed that Trump “never once” mentioned the National Guard when the two talked on Friday.
“It was a very civil conversation. I’ve always wanted to approach engagement with the President of the United States in a respectful and responsible way. But there’s no working with the president, there’s only working for him. And I will never work for Donald Trump,” Newsom said.
President Trump on Saturday ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to be dispatched to the protests. As of Sunday, roughly 300 had arrived, with 1,700 waiting in the wings.
Still, some Trump officials decided even that wasn’t enough to cap the 2,000-man protests.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon has an additional 500 Marines on standby nearby Camp Pendleton in LA. Earlier today, a protest including many veterans gathered outside the camp’s grounds in opposition to military use in civil demonstrations, CBS 8 reported.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is also offering rewards up to $50,000 for information on protesters who allegedly assaulted a police officer at the protests on Sunday. One of the men was even added to the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list.
Newsom is on the ground in LA meeting with the LA police and sheriffs to figure out next steps for quelling the protests sparked “by chaos from Washington,” he wrote on X.
“We’re here to keep the peace — not play into Trump’s political games,” he wrote.
LA Mayor Karen Bass echoed Newsom’s sentiments, arguing the presence of the National Guard would only make things worse.
“Deploying federalized troops on the heels of these raids is a chaotic escalation,” she said in a statement.
“If you want there to be chaos, then have troops on the ground when there is absolutely no need for that to happen,” she later added.
Trump slammed both Newsom and Bass in a Truth Social post late Sunday night and claimed “paid insurrectionists” were responsible for the riots.
“Governor Gavin Newscum and ‘Mayor’ Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots,” he wrote. “These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists.”
“Looking really bad L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” Trump later posted.
The post Newsom plans to sue Trump admin over National Guard deployment to LA even as LAPD chief admits cops are ‘overwhelmed’ by violent anti-ICE riots appeared first on New York Post.
