Pete Hegseth defended the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, accusing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass of failing to protect ICE agents.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday forcefully defended the deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, accusing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass of failing to protect ICE agents and citizens from violent rioters — and asserting that Trump is stepping in to do the job.
Hegseth sparred with Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., during a heated House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, asserting that the president had the legal authority to deploy the troops since rioters had attacked ICE agents and torched property in parts of the sanctuary city – while waving Mexican flags and flags of other nations.
« The governor of California is unable to execute the laws of the United States », Hegseth said. « The governor of California has failed to protect his people, along with the mayor of Los Angeles and so President Trump has said he will protect our agents and our Guard and Marines are proud to do it. »
Hegseth justified the decision for the Trump administration to intervene, saying that every American citizen deserves to live in a community that is safe, and that ICE agents need to be able to do their job.
