Trump Admin Releases 2,000 National Guard Members from Los Angeles

The Trump administration has released half of the California National Guard members recently deployed to Los Angeles, citing a decrease in lawlessness. 

The Details: Another 2,000 National Guard and 700 active-duty Marines are still activated in the area. California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the release as politically motivated saying, “We call on Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theater and send everyone home now."

For Context: In June, the Trump administration federalized and deployed almost 4,000 California National Guard and 700 Marines to Los Angeles to quell immigration protests and violence. Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass opposed the move, saying it only inflamed the situation. A top military leader overseeing troops in Los Angeles recently asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to send 200 troop back to help fight wildfires, after Newsom warned the Guard was short-staffed during wildfire season.

How the Media Covered It: NPR (Lean Left bias) noted that it wasn’t “clear how long the rest of the troops would stay in the region.” It included descriptions of the June protests, background on Newsom and Trump’s disagreement, and that local officials said the initial deployment seemed “designed to sow fear.” The Center Square (Lean Right) focused on the Trump administration's role in deploying and releasing the National Guard, and highlighted Bass's response, attributing the retreat to peaceful protests and legal challenges against the Trump administration. Newsweek (Center) focused on Newsom’s response to the Trump administration, and criticism that the deployment left wildfire response teams critically shorthanded during peak fire season.

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