Charlamagne Tha God Questions Necessity of National Guard Deployment in LA Protests

On Monday, radio host Charlamagne Tha God expressed his skepticism regarding the need for National Guard involvement in the recent protests in Los Angeles. He mentioned that he hadn’t seen any evidence suggesting the demonstrations had escalated to a level warranting such action.

This past Saturday, before President Trump made the decision to send in the National Guard, tear gas was reportedly deployed near a Home Depot in Paramount, California, linked to an ICE raid. Following the raid, violent protests ensued, leading to multiple arrests for assaults on federal agents, as stated by Michael W. Banks, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.

There were also incidents involving riot police, who allegedly engaged with protesters outside the Los Angeles Police Department’s headquarters, throwing rocks that damaged vehicles.

Charlamagne pointed out that the chaos might have been exaggerated, asserting that Trump’s actions confirmed the worst fears his critics had about him. “Trump really wasted time doing all the worst things people thought he would do,” he stated. “You can’t place your troops amongst protesters. Did I miss something? Wasn’t it supposed to be peaceful? I didn’t hear about any major violence until the National Guard arrived!”

His co-host, DJ Envy, noted having seen a video showing agents being targeted by protesters as they drove. To this, Charlamagne questioned if the situation truly justified calling in the National Guard.

Co-host Morgin Wood acknowledged that while the protests seemed chaotic, he still regarded them as largely peaceful. He drew comparisons to Trump’s decision-making during the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd’s death.