‘An alarming abuse of power’: Democratic governors condemn Trump’s deployment of National Guard
Democratic governors have condemned Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the California national guard, an action they called “an alarming abuse of power”.
“Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state’s governor is ineffective and dangerous,” the governors write in a statement, which California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, posted on X.
In their statement, the governors add that their executive authority to control each of their respective national guards must be respected, adding:
We stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.
Every single Democratic Governor agrees:
Donald Trump’s attempts to militarize California are an alarming abuse of power. pic.twitter.com/gmHuZpxWdc
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2025
Key events
Los Angeles police are shooting rounds into crowds of protesters in downtown LA, NBC News reports.
Newsom formally requests Trump administration rescind ‘unlawful’ deployment of national guard
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, said he has made a formal request to the Trump administration to rescind its “unlawful” deployment of national guard troops in LA and return them to his command, calling the deployment “a serious breach of state sovereignty”.
“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” Newsom said in a post on X. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed. Rescind the order. Return control to California.”
I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command.
We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while… pic.twitter.com/tOtA5dcfxc
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2025
Earlier, in a joint statement by Democratic governors condemning Trump’s deployment of the California national guard as an “alarming abuse of power”, Newsom and the other governors wrote: “Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state’s governor is ineffective and dangerous.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that LAPD has been forcing protesters back away from the Metropolitan detention center.
The push and pull continues … it’s now LAPD, not DHS or the Guard, forcing people back down Alameda away from MDC. A lot of people are running onto the adjacent metro line to get away from less lethal launcher weapons. Very dangerous situation.
— James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) June 8, 2025
Officers have been seen pushing and striking protesters with batons this afternoon, according to a CNN field crew. They report that loud bangs rung out as officers deployed flash bangs in an attempt to disperse the crowd, who waved flags and signs with messages like “ICE out of our communities”.
LAPD has also issued a dispersal order, as the Los Angeles Times reported earlier.
A DISPERSAL ORDER has been issued by the Incident Commander on Alameda between Aliso and 2nd St.
An UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY has been declared.
Leave the area.
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 8, 2025
LAPD authorizes use of ‘less lethal munitions’ on crowd
As the Los Angeles Times reported earlier, the Los Angeles police department has declared the protest outside the Metropolitan detention center an “unlawful assembly”. It has also authorized “use of less lethal munitions” and orders everyone to leave the area or face arrest.
The Incident Commander has declared an UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY in the area of Alameda between Temple and Aliso St.
All persons must leave the area or be subject to arrest.
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 8, 2025
The use of less lethal munitions has been authorized by the Incident Commander.
Persons throwing items at officers will be detained and arrested.
An UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY has been declared by the Incident Commander.
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 8, 2025
Deputy director says FBI will pursue protesters who ‘choose violence’
Dan Bongino, the deputy FBI director, has warned protesters who “choose violence tonight” that the FBI will investigate and pursue “all available leads for assault on a federal officer”.
“If you choose violence tonight, this message is for you,” Bongino wrote on X.
He issued the warning shortly after Donald Trump said he has asked members of his cabinet to take all necessary action to “liberate Los Angeles”.
“Although we’ll pursue every case, we don’t need to catch every single perp, we just need to catch you,” Bongino wrote. He said he and FBI director Kash Patel had directed their teams to use all of their available investigative and technological tools “to pursue you long after order is firmly established”.
“We will not forget. Even after you try to,” he warned.
Here’s the full post.
If you choose violence tonight, this message is for you. We will be investigating and pursuing all available leads for assault on a federal officer, in addition to the many arrests already made. And, although we’ll pursue every case, we don’t need to catch every single perp, we just need to catch you. A short time ago, the Director and I notified our teams to use all of our investigative and technological tools to pursue you long after order is firmly established. We will not forget. Even after you try to.
‘An alarming abuse of power’: Democratic governors condemn Trump’s deployment of National Guard
Democratic governors have condemned Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the California national guard, an action they called “an alarming abuse of power”.
“Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state’s governor is ineffective and dangerous,” the governors write in a statement, which California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, posted on X.
In their statement, the governors add that their executive authority to control each of their respective national guards must be respected, adding:
We stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.
Every single Democratic Governor agrees:
Donald Trump’s attempts to militarize California are an alarming abuse of power. pic.twitter.com/gmHuZpxWdc
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2025
LAPD announces citywide ‘tactical alert’ for officers
The Los Angeles police department has placed officers citywide on a “tactical alert”, the department wrote on X.
During a tactical alert, all the department’s officers are on notice that they could be called up for service as needed to respond to any protests in the area. It also means officers currently on duty must remain on shift until relieved by their supervisors, and certain lower-priority calls for service from the public may not be addressed until the alert is lifted.
It allows for maintenance of high levels of staffing in the event of emergencies or large incidents. Such alerts also authorize overtime for officers.
The Trump administration continues to frame the anti-Ice protests in LA as “violent”, with the US ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, writing on X:
The violent protesters in LA do not represent the proud and hardworking Mexican people we know and respect. Our actions protect all communities and uphold the rule of law. Mexico is our partner—and the ties between our nations run deep.
Andrew Gumbel
Hundreds of people were spilling into the streets outside the Metropolitan detention center in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon in ongoing protest against Ice raids throughout the city.
National guard officers have doubled in size to around 50, and are no longer posing but moving toward protesters with batons and riot shields.
Officers with Los Angeles police department were seen clearing streets by firing volleys of teargas and rubber bullets to clear the crowd. One protester with a bullhorn shouted: “We’re not afraid of you.”
Detainees inside MDC were heard rattling metal bars of windows in solidarity with protestors.
Trump claims ‘violent, insurrectionist mobs’ are ‘attacking’ federal agents, and directs cabinet members to ‘liberate LA’
Donald Trump has said that LA is being “invaded and occupied” and that “violent, insurrectionist mobs” are “attacking” federal agents, adding, “these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve”.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president said he is directing members of his cabinet to “take all such action necessary to liberate LA from the Migrant Invasion and put an end to these Migrant riots”.
The president, who has already deployed the national guard to the city and when asked earlier today did not rule out invoking the Insurrection Act, did not specify what the action would entail.
He wrote:
A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve. I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots. Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
National guard members then strike approaching protesters with batons and deploy gas canisters, prompting them to disperse in the opposite direction.
Footage is also shown of rubber bullets on the ground.
Footage on Fox News shows a violent confrontation between several national guard members and a protester, which ends with the person being physically restrained on the ground and handcuffed.
Protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan detention center in downtown LA are chanting “shame on you” at national guard soldiers who have created a perimeter around the federal building.
Other chants include: “Donald Trump, let’s be clear: immigrants are welcome here,” “say it once, say it twice, we will not put up with Ice” and “no hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”
LAPD declares unlawful assembly downtown
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Department of Homeland Security has declared the crowd on the street outside the Metropolitan detention center in downtown LA an “unlawful assembly”.
DHS is now declaring an unlawful assembly here. LAPD is not present. I am not aware if federal authorities can even enforce that order beyond their property (which at present no protester is on. The crowd has been pushed into the street by the prior volley of force)
— James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) June 8, 2025
