President Donald Trump and California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom have intensified their ongoing feud, particularly regarding the response to protests in Los Angeles that have arisen from Trump’s immigration policies.
In response to Newsom’s objections about Trump deploying the National Guard without his consent, the president announced Monday afternoon that he would send hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles as well. This development came shortly after Trump returned to the White House from Camp David, where he expressed a desire to arrest Newsom if he were Tom Homan, the former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Hours prior, Homan had stated there were “no discussions” about arresting the governor.
Trump asserted, “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” in remarks made on the South Lawn. Newsom swiftly condemned this statement, posting on Instagram, “The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
When asked later about the grounds for Newsom’s potential arrest, Trump remarked, “I think his primary crime is running for governor because he’s done such a bad job.”
Homan, who earlier suggested that he wouldn’t rule out arresting Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, clarified his remarks during a Fox News interview, stating that while “no one’s above the law,” there had been no plans to arrest either official.
“I’ve said it many times, You can protest, you got your First Amendment rights, but when you cross that line, you put hands on an ICE officer, or you destroy property… That’s a crime, and that the Trump administration is not going to tolerate,” Homan said.
Supporting Trump’s stance, House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his solidarity, stating, “I don’t know what all that involves, but he gave comment there, and I’ll stick by what he said.” He also aligned with Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard, recognizing it could have a “deterrent effect” on lawlessness.
Continuing to defend his deployment decision, Trump labeled Newsom “incompetent” and noted that his administration was “straightening out his problems.” He assured reporters that recent developments in the city were heading in “the right direction.”
The use of military personnel for domestic protests is typically restricted by the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, but Trump has exercised authority under Title 10 of the U.S. Code to move federal troops. On Monday, he hinted at the possibility of deploying Marines to Los Angeles, stating, “we’ll see what happens.” A U.S. official later confirmed that 700 Marines from Twentynine Palms, California, would be sent to assist, although their specific roles remained unclear.
In a strong reaction, Newsom announced plans to sue the federal government over the deployment of the National Guard. “He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard… We’re suing him,” he stated in a social media post.
ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.