On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt criticized the protests and riots in Los Angeles as “shameful.” She called out California officials for not doing enough to govern the situation, referring to them as “left extremists.”
At a press conference, Leavitt highlighted President Trump’s efforts to combat what she described as “riot rules” in the city. She accused California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of neglecting to protect law-abiding citizens.
“They lacked the courage to do the right thing and shield Californians from the rioters,” Leavitt stated. “That’s the reason President Trump mobilized the National Guard and Marines to restore order.”
She added that those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice swiftly, and emphasized that operations to detain illegal immigrants were continuing without pause.
Leavitt further questioned the “specific standards” used by Trump to activate the California State Guard, responding to inquiries about the authority of military personnel to make arrests without invoking the Rebellion Act.
“The President acted under US Code 10,” she said, in defense of Trump’s decisions.
This week, Trump sent 2,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to the Los Angeles area.
Earlier, Trump suggested he might consider arresting press members if his administration intervened to thwart any ice operations amid the unrest.
“If I were in his shoes, I would do it,” Trump commented, speaking about the idea of arresting a media figure, specifically referring to Tom Homan. “Gavin enjoys the spotlight, but he hasn’t handled things well. He’s a good guy, but really incompetent,” he added.
Moreover, Trump has expressed his view that many individuals participating in the protests are professional agitators rather than genuine demonstrators, labeling them as “rebels” and suggesting they belong in prison.
Newsom quickly responded to Trump’s remarks on social media, indicating disagreement.
