Latest news with #NationalGuardsmen
UPI
3 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Appeals court lets Trump control guardsmen deployed to Los Angeles
Thousands of protesters gather at City Hall to protest the policies of the Trump administration in the nationwide "No Kings Day of Defiance" demonstrations in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Late Thursday, an appeals court ruled President Donald Trump may maintain control of National Guardsmen he deployed to the streets of Los Angeles. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo June 20 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court ruled late Thursday that President Donald Trump may maintain control of thousands of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles, a blow to the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, who is fighting to keep the soldiers off his streets. The three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was unanimous, ruling that Trump's order federalizing members of the California National Guard was likely legal. The court though disagreed with the Trump administration's argument that the president's decision to federalize the troops was insulated from judicial review but acknowledged that they must be "highly deferential" to it. "Affording the President that deference, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority," the court said in its 38-page ruling, though it added "nothing in our decision addresses the nature of the activities in which the federalized National Guard may engage." The panel included two Trump-appointed judges, Mark Bennett and Eric Miller, and President Joe Biden appointee Jennifer Sung. The ruling stays a lower court's order that had directed the Trump administration to remove the troops deployed to Los Angeles streets. Trump celebrated the ruling as a "BIG WIN" on his Truth Social media platform. "The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States ,if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable , for whatever reason to get the job done," Trump said in the post, referring to the California governor by an insulting moniker he invented. Trump -- who campaigned on mass deportations while using incendiary and derogatory rhetoric as well as misinformation about immigrants -- has been leading a crackdown on immigration since returning to the White House. On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began conducting raids in Los Angeles, prompting mass protests in the city. In response, Trump deployed some 2,000 California National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to quell the demonstrations and to protect ICE agents performing immigration arrests. The number of troops deployed has since increased to 4,000, despite protests having abated. The deployment was met with staunch opposition, criticism of Trump for continuing an extreme right-wing slide into authoritarianism and a lawsuit from Newsom, who was initially awarded a stay ordering the troops to be removed from the Los Angeles streets. However, an appeals court hours later issued a preliminary injunction, which late Thursday was made a stay. Newsom, in a statement, expressed disappointment over the ruling while highlighting the court's rejection of Trump's argument that his decision to deploy the troops is beyond judicial review. "The President is not a king and is not above the law," Newsom said, vowing to continue to fight the deployment in court. "We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers against citizens." The deployment by Trump is the first by a president without a governor's permission since 1965.
The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
The Boss brands Trump 'moron' in latest scathing attack
Bruce Springsteen has branded President Donald Trump a "moron" in a new scathing attack. The Born in the USA hitmaker, who has been locked in war of words with the world leader, has branded the current state of his home country an "American tragedy" and lambasted the man in charge. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialisation of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue," Springsteen told The New York Times. "And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people. But what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here.' 'This will never happen in America.' And here we are." The Boss then went in on Trump's controversial immigration policies, which led to riots in Los Angeles, and saw Trump deploy thousands of National Guardsmen to "address the lawlessness" in the US city amid the unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said: "When I went to California, obviously there was a large migrant culture. I was interested in the history of it, because I felt that this is the future of the United States — which it has become." Springsteen said it's "disgusting" and a "terrible tragedy" what's happening in US. He continued: "There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what's going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy. "We have a long democratic history. We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back. Let's knock on wood." Trump, 78, was left furious after The Boss, 75, hit out at the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration during a recent concert in Manchester, and Trump responded with a lengthy rant via his social media platform Truth Social. Trump blasted Springsteen as a "pushy, obnoxious JERK". Springsteen made three separate rants against the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration. After opening the gig with a performance of Land of Hope and Dreams, he told the audience: "It's great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour! The mighty E St Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll in dangerous times." A short while after, several musicians spoke out in support of Springsteen, including Neil Young, who insisted he wasn't "scared" of Trump. Bruce Springsteen has branded President Donald Trump a "moron" in a new scathing attack. The Born in the USA hitmaker, who has been locked in war of words with the world leader, has branded the current state of his home country an "American tragedy" and lambasted the man in charge. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialisation of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue," Springsteen told The New York Times. "And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people. But what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here.' 'This will never happen in America.' And here we are." The Boss then went in on Trump's controversial immigration policies, which led to riots in Los Angeles, and saw Trump deploy thousands of National Guardsmen to "address the lawlessness" in the US city amid the unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said: "When I went to California, obviously there was a large migrant culture. I was interested in the history of it, because I felt that this is the future of the United States — which it has become." Springsteen said it's "disgusting" and a "terrible tragedy" what's happening in US. He continued: "There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what's going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy. "We have a long democratic history. We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back. Let's knock on wood." Trump, 78, was left furious after The Boss, 75, hit out at the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration during a recent concert in Manchester, and Trump responded with a lengthy rant via his social media platform Truth Social. Trump blasted Springsteen as a "pushy, obnoxious JERK". Springsteen made three separate rants against the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration. After opening the gig with a performance of Land of Hope and Dreams, he told the audience: "It's great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour! The mighty E St Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll in dangerous times." A short while after, several musicians spoke out in support of Springsteen, including Neil Young, who insisted he wasn't "scared" of Trump. Bruce Springsteen has branded President Donald Trump a "moron" in a new scathing attack. The Born in the USA hitmaker, who has been locked in war of words with the world leader, has branded the current state of his home country an "American tragedy" and lambasted the man in charge. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialisation of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue," Springsteen told The New York Times. "And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people. But what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here.' 'This will never happen in America.' And here we are." The Boss then went in on Trump's controversial immigration policies, which led to riots in Los Angeles, and saw Trump deploy thousands of National Guardsmen to "address the lawlessness" in the US city amid the unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said: "When I went to California, obviously there was a large migrant culture. I was interested in the history of it, because I felt that this is the future of the United States — which it has become." Springsteen said it's "disgusting" and a "terrible tragedy" what's happening in US. He continued: "There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what's going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy. "We have a long democratic history. We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back. Let's knock on wood." Trump, 78, was left furious after The Boss, 75, hit out at the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration during a recent concert in Manchester, and Trump responded with a lengthy rant via his social media platform Truth Social. Trump blasted Springsteen as a "pushy, obnoxious JERK". Springsteen made three separate rants against the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration. After opening the gig with a performance of Land of Hope and Dreams, he told the audience: "It's great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour! The mighty E St Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll in dangerous times." A short while after, several musicians spoke out in support of Springsteen, including Neil Young, who insisted he wasn't "scared" of Trump. Bruce Springsteen has branded President Donald Trump a "moron" in a new scathing attack. The Born in the USA hitmaker, who has been locked in war of words with the world leader, has branded the current state of his home country an "American tragedy" and lambasted the man in charge. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialisation of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue," Springsteen told The New York Times. "And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people. But what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here.' 'This will never happen in America.' And here we are." The Boss then went in on Trump's controversial immigration policies, which led to riots in Los Angeles, and saw Trump deploy thousands of National Guardsmen to "address the lawlessness" in the US city amid the unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said: "When I went to California, obviously there was a large migrant culture. I was interested in the history of it, because I felt that this is the future of the United States — which it has become." Springsteen said it's "disgusting" and a "terrible tragedy" what's happening in US. He continued: "There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what's going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy. "We have a long democratic history. We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back. Let's knock on wood." Trump, 78, was left furious after The Boss, 75, hit out at the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration during a recent concert in Manchester, and Trump responded with a lengthy rant via his social media platform Truth Social. Trump blasted Springsteen as a "pushy, obnoxious JERK". Springsteen made three separate rants against the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration. After opening the gig with a performance of Land of Hope and Dreams, he told the audience: "It's great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour! The mighty E St Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll in dangerous times." A short while after, several musicians spoke out in support of Springsteen, including Neil Young, who insisted he wasn't "scared" of Trump.
Perth Now
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bruce Springsteen brands Donald Trump 'a moron' in latest scathing attack
Bruce Springsteen has branded President Donald Trump a "moron" in a new scathing attack. The Born in the U.S.A. hitmaker, who has been locked in war of words with the world leader, has branded the current state of his home country an "American tragedy" and lambasted the man in charge. He told The New York Times: 'It's an American tragedy. 'I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialisation of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue. 'And while I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people. But what we've been living through in the last 70 days is things that we all said, 'This can't happen here.' 'This will never happen in America.' And here we are.' The Boss then went in on Trump's controversial immigration policies, which led to riots in Los Angeles, and saw Trump deploy thousands of National Guardsmen to "address the lawlessness" in the US city amid the unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said: 'When I went to California, obviously there was a large migrant culture. I was interested in the history of it, because I felt that this is the future of the United States — which it has become.' Springsteen said it's "disgusting" and a "terrible tragedy" what's happening in US. He continued: 'There are communities all across America now that have taken in immigrants and migrant workers. So what's going on at the moment to me is disgusting, and a terrible tragedy. 'We have a long democratic history. We don't have an autocratic history as a nation. It's fundamentally democratic, and I believe that at some point that's going to rear its head and things will swing back. Let's knock on wood.' Trump, 78, was left furious after The Boss, 75, hit out at the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration during a recent concert in Manchester, and Trump responded with a lengthy rant via his social media platform Truth Social. Trump blasted Springsteen as a 'pushy, obnoxious JERK'. Springsteen made three separate rants against the "corruption" and "incompetence" of the Trump administration. After opening the gig with a performance of Land of Hope and Dreams, he told the audience: "It's great to be in Manchester and back in the UK. Welcome to the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour! The mighty E St. Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock 'n' roll in dangerous times." A short while after, several musicians spoke out in support of Springsteen, including Neil Young, who insisted he wasn't "scared" of Trump.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Slotkin to Hegseth: Esper had ‘more guts and balls than you'
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) had harsh words for embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday: President Trump's previous Defense leader, Mark Esper, 'had more guts and balls' than Hegseth because Esper refused to maim unarmed protesters, she said. '[Esper] didn't accept the order,' Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Defense official, told Hegseth. 'He had more guts and balls than you, because he said, I'm not going to send in the uniformed military to do something that I know in my gut isn't right.' Esper, who was Defense Secretary for a year until Trump fired him after the 2020 election, wrote in his 2022 memoir that Trump wanted authorities to shoot protestors in the legs during demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd. 'I had to figure out a way to walk Trump back without creating the mess I was trying to avoid,' Esper wrote in the book, describing Trump as 'red-faced and complaining loudly about the protests underway in Washington, D.C.' He wrote that Trump asked, 'Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?' Slotkin questioned Hegseth about whether he had received a similar directive during recent protests against Trump's immigration crackdown in Los Angeles. Trump deployed thousands of National Guardsmen and Marines to protect federal workers and facilities, despite objections from California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Police officers have used rubber bullets and other 'less lethal' tactics to quell protests in L.A., and an Australian reporter was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet on live television. During his January confirmation hearing, Hegseth would not rule out shooting protestors if Trump ordered it. 'One of the things that President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand, and so I would never in this public forum give one way or another what orders the president gives to me in any context,' Hegseth said at the time. Slotkin pressed him again on the topic Wednesday. 'Have you given the order to be able to shoot at unarmed protesters in any way?' Slotkin asked Hegseth. 'I'm just asking the question, don't laugh.' 'It just shows you don't understand who we are as a country, and all of my colleagues across the aisle, especially the ones that have served, should want an apolitical military and not want citizens to be scared of their own military,' she added. Hegseth didn't directly answer the question. 'Senator, I'd be careful of what you read in books and believing it — except for the Bible,' he said. Hegseth said members of the military acting in self-defense 'could temporarily detain and hand over' protestors to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
U.S. Marines arrive in Los Angeles as city prepares for weekend protests
LOS ANGELES — A handful of U.S. Marines stood guard outside the Wilshire Federal Building on Friday afternoon, screening visitors to the installation. The deployment of the Marines — joining National Guardsmen already stationed there — marked a rare instance of domestic use of American military forces in response to ongoing demonstrations against President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The National Guard has been tasked with protecting federal buildings and accompanying federal agents during immigration operations. The protests began on June 6 in response to deportation raids that took place in Los Angeles' Fashion District, and escalated to property damage and clashes with police over the weekend. In response, the Trump Administration mobilized 2,000 National Guardsmen — a number which has since doubled — on June 7, then days later summoned 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County. Federal immigration agents have continued to conduct raids, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference Thursday that agents have since showed up at schools, emergency rooms and homeless shelters. Protests have continued daily since the deportation raids began, mostly clustered around the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in the city's downtown. Demonstrations have remained mostly peaceful, though protesters have at times clashed with ICE agents attempting to conduct raids in other parts of the city. Since the protests began, Los Angeles Police said they have arrested more than 160 people, and another two dozen people were arrested by the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. On Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department put out a statement warning protesters against prohibited items at Saturday's No Kings rally, including laser pointers, wooden sticks or plastic/metal pipes, posters or banners not made out of soft material, baseball bats, bear spray or pepper spray, projectile launchers like slingshots, weapons such as firearms or knives, water cannons, glass bottles, shields, open flames, or bricks or other items to be thrown. The last time members of the American military were deployed in a similar fashion was more than 30 years ago, when Gov. Pete Wilson asked President George H.W. Bush to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to riots that broke out throughout Los Angeles after the police officers charged with the brutal beating of Rodney King were acquitted. Trump's mobilization of the National Guard without Gov. Gavin Newsom's consent marked the first time since a president had done so in 60 years, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent National Guardsmen to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators marching to Montgomery. Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, who is overseeing the operations in Los Angeles, previously told reporters the service members 'will not participate in law enforcement activities.' Initially, military officials said the troops would be tasked with guarding federal buildings, though they later said service members would also be authorized to accompany and protect ICE agents on deportation raids, and to detain anyone interfering with those operations. Newsom and Bass have excoriated the federal mobilization, with Newsom calling the deployment a 'brazen abuse of power' that 'inflamed a combustible situation' and endangered Angelenos, law enforcement and service members alike. 'Trump is pulling a military dragnet across Los Angeles,' Newsom said in a video address to his constituents. 'It's weakness masquerading as strength.' The state won a court order Thursday handing control of the National Guard back to Newsom, but an appeals court stayed the ruling until after it hears the case Tuesday. Also on Thursday, Bass blasted the ICE raids as a 'pretext to federalize the National Guard' and said the deployment of U.S. Marines into an American city 'will target our own citizens.' Not everyone was opposed to their presence, however. On Friday afternoon, Lavictor Goldsmith, 52, sat on his porch at an apartment complex across the street, surveying the troops as they stood guard outside of the federal building. 'They're a blessing here. Anyone could pull up and shoot the FBI. We can't have that,' said Goldsmith, who said he served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force as a boom operator. 'I hope everything will settle down by the end of summer.'
