Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reaffirmed his support for President Donald Trump’s response to ongoing protests in Los Angeles during a news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington on June 10, 2025. Johnson declared that Trump is “absolutely right” to deploy the National Guard and Marines in response to escalating tensions among protestors and law enforcement related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.
Johnson emphasized that Trump is justified in authorizing the deployment of 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to help “maintain order” amid the protests. “President Trump has put his hand on the table and said ‘Not on my watch,’ and we applaud that so we’re standing with him,” Johnson stated.
While he refrained from endorsing Trump’s suggestion that Governor Gavin Newsom should be arrested, Johnson did assert that Newsom “should be tarred and feathered.” He clarified, “Look, that’s not my lane. I’m not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested, but he ought to be tarred and feathered.”
In response, Governor Newsom took to X to fire back at Johnson’s remarks, saying, “Good to know we’re skipping the arrest and going straight for the 1700’s style forms of punishment. A fitting threat given the @GOP want to bring our country back to the 18th Century.” Newsom previously denounced Trump’s comments about arresting him as a move toward authoritarianism.
Johnson criticized Newsom for prioritizing his personal image over the safety of California residents. “Do your job, man. That’s what I tell Gavin Newsom, do your job. Stop working on your rebranding and be a governor. Stand up for the rule of law. And he’s not doing that,” Johnson asserted.
Additionally, Newsom has labeled the federal troop deployment as a “blatant abuse of power” and has initiated legal action against the administration regarding this decision.
During the conference, Johnson also took the opportunity to advocate for the House-passed immigration bill currently being negotiated in the Senate. He argued that the legislation, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” aligns with Trump’s legislative goals and could address the immigration issues fueling the protests. This bill proposes increased military and border security funding while extending the 2017 tax cuts enacted under Trump, although it could potentially add $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, as per the Congressional Budget Office.
Later, Johnson differentiated the violence in Los Angeles from the January 6 Capitol insurrection, insisting on his refusal to revisit those events. “There’s a very clear distinction between the two. The people who broke the law and destroyed property [were] met with the proper consequences on [Jan. 6],” he explained, adding he is “trying to be intellectually consistent about this.”
Johnson’s stance resonates among other Republican leaders. Representative Ralph Norman articulated support for Trump’s actions, stating, “What [Trump’s] doing [is] enforcing the rule of law.” Representative Ron Estes also backed the deployment, emphasizing the need for law and order in the United States. Senator Kevin Cramer expressed hope that the federal troop presence would deter violence.
“Hopefully their presence will be a deterrent to violence. Obviously, there’s a right to assemble, and there’s a right to peacefully protest — and then there’s what they’re doing. So clearly, the state needs help, and the president’s sending help, hopefully, hopefully it’ll bring some peace,” Cramer remarked.
Senator John Kennedy similarly defended the decision, suggesting Trump acted out of necessity due to perceived inaction from state officials. He stated, “I think he needs to follow the law, but I think he needs to send in federal troops because it’s clear to me the governor and the mayor were going to do nothing. Zero, zilch, nada.”
Commenting on Newsom’s situation, Senator John Cornyn added, “Make him a hero and a martyr,” reflecting the sentiment among some Republicans regarding the political dynamics at play in California.
ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.