It is the struggle that US President Donald Trump expected: a confrontation with one of the main political rivals in a deeply democratic state about a central issue of his political agenda. By ignoring the authority of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, to summon National Guard to repress protests in the Los Angeles region against his government’s efforts to deport more immigrants, Trump is testing the limits of presidential authority and feeding criticism that it is inflating the situation to obtain political gains.
Local and state authorities had not asked help to deal with isolated protests that emerged after an operation of the immigration and customs service (ICE) on Friday in the Los Angeles fashion district. But Trump and his main advisers intensified the confrontation with California leaders on Sunday, portraying demonstrations as an existential threat to the country – triggering an aggressive federal response that in turn provoked new protests throughout the city.
As more protesters took to the streets, the president wrote on social networks that Los Angeles was being “invaded and busy” by “violent and insurrectionist crowds,” and ordered three of his main members of the Office to take all the necessary measures to “free Los Angeles from the invasion of immigrants.”
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“No one will spit on our police.” No one will spit on our military, ”Trump told reporters as he went to Camp David on Sunday, although it was not clear if any of these incidents had actually occurred. – If this happens, they will be hit very strongly.
The president refused to say whether he planned to invoke the 1807 insurrection law, which allows the use of federal troops on domestic soil to repress a rebellion. But anyway, he added, “Let’s have troops everywhere.” Stephen Miller, White House’s cabinet chief, posted on social networks that “this is a struggle to save civilization.”
Trump’s decision to send at least 2,000 California National Guard men is the latest example of his disposal – and sometimes enthusiast – to break norms to pursue his political goals and to circumvent the limits of presidential power. The last president to send the National Guard to a domestic operation without the state governor’s request was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 to protect protesters from civil rights in Alabama.
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But the president’s advisers and allies say that events in Los Angeles represent an almost perfect synthesis of the reasons why Trump was elected in November.
“It could not be clearer,” said Newt Gingrich, former president of the Chamber of Deputies and ally of the president, noting that Trump has been focusing on the application of immigration laws since 2015.-One side wants to apply the law and protect Americans; The other side wants to defend illegal and be with the side of those who break the law.
Sporadic protests have occurred across the country in recent days, while federal agents invaded Los Angeles and other cities in search of indocmented immigrants, as part of an expanded government effort to increase the number of daily deportations. On social networks, Trump, his advisors and allies have tried to shape protests against immigration agents in his own way. They shared images and videos of the most violent episodes – with special focus on manifestants assaulting federal agents – although many protests remained peaceful. Authorities also highlighted protesters with flags from other countries, such as Mexico and El Salvador, as evidence of a “foreign invasion.”
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“Illegal criminals and violent crowds have committed criminal fires, thrown stones at vehicles and wholesale the federal security forces for days,” wrote Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.
Newsom, whom the president refers to “NewsCum”, has been a constant antagonist of Trump, who repeatedly attacked California and his governor as symbols of Democratic Party failures.
“We expected it, we prepare for that,” New York Times said in a statement. “It’s not surprising – for them to win, California needs to fail, so they will try everything in the old manual, despite the evidence against them.”
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On Sunday, the governor sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, formally requesting that Trump rescue the call of the National Guard, stating that federal actions were igniting the situation. Other Democratic leaders agreed, saying that the increase in protests was a direct result of Trump’s actions.
“The president and his advisers are masters of misinformation and manipulation,” Senator Alex Padilla of California said in an interview. – They create a crisis out of nowhere and appear with all the theater and cruelty of repression of immigration. They should not be surprised to be received in a community like Los Angeles with protesters passionate about defending fundamental rights and due process.
Republicans defended Trump’s measures, saying that he was correctly exercising his power to protect public safety.
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“The president is extremely concerned about the safety of federal employees in Los Angeles at this time, who have been the target of acts of violence, harassment and obstruction,” said California Republican Deputy Kevin Kiley in an interview. – We are in this situation because of a number of irresponsible decisions of California’s political leaders, who have supported and encouraged President Biden’s open border policies.
Trump seems to be applying to California the same strategy he has used to punish universities, law firms and other institutions and individuals who consider political opponents. Last month, he threatened to cut federal funding into a “large scale” for California “perhaps permanently” because of the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports. And in recent days, his government has announced that he would remove about $ 4 billion in federal funding for California’s high -speed train, which would further delay a project already marked by delays and lack of resources.
“Everything he does to attack California or anyone he fears he doesn’t support him will remain his obsession,” Padilla said. “He may think this works well with his base, but it has actually been bad for the country.”
