‘We would have the capability to surge National Guard’ if riots spread outside of Los Angeles, he says.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that National Guard troop deployments could extend to other states beyond California, amid riots in Los Angeles against immigration enforcement.
Speaking to a Senate panel, Hegseth said that if riots occur in other places, the federal government may send troops there.
“Part of it was about getting ahead of the problem, so that if in other places, if there are other riots, in places where law enforcement officers are threatened, we would have the capability to surge National Guard there, if necessary,” the Pentagon chief said, responding to a question from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
Hegseth told the lawmakers that “thankfully, in most of those states, you’d have a governor that recognizes the need for it, supports it, and mobilizes it, him or herself,“ adding, ”In California, unfortunately, the governor wants to play politics with it.”
Over the past weekend, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to violent protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. On Monday, U.S. military officials confirmed that 700 Marines would be sent to Los Angeles alongside the National Guard deployment.
The decisions brought criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other Democrats in the state, accusing Trump of exceeding his authority and attempting to inflame tensions in Los Angeles.
California’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on June 10 to end the troop deployment. A federal judge issued an order siding with the federal government on Tuesday evening.
Demonstrations and unrest have spread to other cities around the United States, including New York City, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco, and others.
Police detained more than 80 people during protests in lower Manhattan’s Foley Square on Tuesday evening and early Wednesday. Arrests were also made in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver, police departments say.
New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said most of the demonstrators were peaceful and that just a few caused the disorder that required police intervention.
“We want to maintain everyone’s right to protest peacefully in this city and in this country, but we will not tolerate chaos and disorder or violence,” Tisch said Wednesday morning during an appearance on Fox 5 New York.
