California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) faced criticism on Saturday for shutting down a highway unnecessarily while Vice President J.D. Vance attended the Marine Corps 250th Anniversary Ceremony at Camp Pendleton, according to the White House.
In a virtual meeting with White House officials, it was indicated that sections of Interstate 5 near the base were closed during the event, leading to notable traffic delays. This was reported by Fox News.
Newsom reportedly blamed President Donald Trump for the traffic situation and accused his administration of not recognizing the necessity of the highway closures, especially given that live ammunition was involved in the exercises.
The White House responded, claiming that Newsom was not being truthful. “He shut down a highway—neither the White House nor the Marine Corps requested it, and the Marine Corps reiterated that there were no public safety concerns regarding the exercise,” a statement from the Rapid Response 47 account questioned Newsom’s honesty.
Following the closure, Trump advisor Alex Brucewicz commented on Newsom’s decision, criticizing him for shutting down major highways in California simply because Vance was in the state. “You’re inconveniencing tens of thousands of Americans. What a despicable man,” he stated.
There were also other voices in the conversation about the highway shutdown.
A statement issued by the U.S. Marine Corps before the event clarified that highways could remain operational. “The Marine Corps is not shutting down Interstate 5; the event at Camp Pendleton was intended as a training exercise,” said William Martin, a special assistant in communications for the president and vice president.
On Sunday, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that explosive fragments from the training had detonated prematurely over Interstate 5 and damaged a CHP patrol vehicle.
Authorities noted that the incident took place while CHP officers were managing a traffic stop on the highway during a live-fire training exercise conducted by U.S. Marines, who had indicated traffic should be halted.
No injuries were reported, as ABC 7 mentioned that the U.S. Marine Corps was promptly informed.
In their statement, the Marine Corps highlighted that stringent safety protocols had been established to ensure the well-being of their personnel. Following the incident, they assured that an investigation would determine the cause and improve future operational safety measures.
The White House remarked that the debris left “minor” dents and scratches on the CHP vehicle.
