Trump backs arrest of California Governor amid LA protest clashes
3 Min Read
US President Donald Trump's call for Governor Gavin Newsom's arrest has intensified a mounting clash between federal and state authorities over immigration raids and troop deployments in Los Angeles.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces "Vogue World: Hollywood," a fashion event that celebrates the conversation between film and fashion scheduled for October 2025, at a news conference at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
US President Donald Trump said Monday he would support the arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom over the latter's handling of the violent unrest that erupted in Los Angeles following a controversial immigration crackdown.
"I would do it if I were ['border czar'] Tom [Homan]," Trump told reporters, responding to Newsom's earlier challenge daring federal authorities to detain him. The president went on to describe Newsom as "a nice" individual but "grossly incompetent," claiming he had done "a terrible job" managing the state.
Federal standoff
The remarks come as tensions between the federal government and California officials reach new heights. A June 7 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation targeting undocumented immigrants in downtown Los Angeles sparked days of mass protests and violent confrontations. Reports suggest the raids were expanded under pressure from Trump advisor Stephen Miller, and have been criticized for targeting both undocumented and legal residents. A mistaken arrest of a US marshal in Arizona due to vague ICE criteria further fueled backlash.
The federal response has drawn legal scrutiny, particularly after Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without state consent. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision on Sunday, citing the need to restore order. However, the move marks the first time since 1965 that federal troops have been dispatched to a major US city without local approval.
Governor Newsom sharply condemned the deployment, formally requesting its reversal and accusing the White House of inciting the very chaos it claimed to contain. "The president intervened and now we have riots," he said, maintaining that city and state officials had the situation under control prior to the troop announcement. He further warned that California might withhold federal tax payments if threatened funding cuts were enacted.
Constitutional showdown
Amid the escalating standoff, legal experts and human rights advocates have voiced alarm over what they see as a constitutional crisis. The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations have begun preparing legal challenges, warning that Trump's actions could violate federal laws governing domestic military deployment and state sovereignty.
Further inflaming the controversy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth floated the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy US Marines, an extreme measure last used during the 1992 LA riots. “The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE,” Hegseth said.
Due to escalating violence, China issued a rare public safety advisory on Monday, urging its nationals in the area to exercise increased caution.
Read more: Trump tests presidential authority by sending troops to quell protests
