Trump Sends Marines to L.A., Newsom Cries Foul in Explosive Constitutional Clash

California Governor Gavin Newsom challenges federal overreach, calling Trump’s deployment of troops unconstitutional and unnecessary amidst growing protests and ICE raids.

Los Angeles [US], June 10 — The streets of Los Angeles remained tense but relatively calmer after a volatile weekend marked by mass protests, controversial ICE raids, and the federal deployment of National Guard troops — now compounded by the arrival of U.S. Marines. The escalation comes amid a deepening clash between California Governor Gavin Newsom and former President Donald Trump, who ordered the mobilization over Newsom’s objections.

In a fiery lawsuit filed by the state of California, Newsom is asking a federal judge to halt the deployment and declare the move unconstitutional. The governor and Attorney General Rob Bonta argue that Trump’s actions violate the 10th Amendment and federal law, as the National Guard was federalized without Newsom’s consent — a legal requirement under U.S. Code § 12406.

“This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous president’s ego,” Newsom wrote on X, accusing Trump of deploying 2,000 Guard troops to Los Angeles without basic provisions such as food or water. “Only approximately 300 are deployed — the rest are sitting, unused, in federal buildings without orders. This is reckless, pointless, and disrespectful to our troops.”

Heightening tensions, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division were activated and will operate under the joint command of Major General Scott M. Sherman. These forces will support National Guard troops under “Task Force 51” to protect federal personnel and property in the Los Angeles area.

Newsom’s office responded sharply to the Marine deployment, stating, “Trump is escalating the situation even further — deploying active-duty Marines against their own countrymen in an American city. Completely unnecessary and only inflames the situation more.”

As federal troops surround shuttered federal buildings in downtown L.A., local authorities, including LAPD, Sheriff Robert Luna, and Mayor Karen Bass, maintain that there is no need for such extreme federal intervention. Protesters continue to rally across the city, calling for the release of injured and jailed labor leader David Huerta and condemning sweeping ICE arrests, many of which allegedly violate prior pledges to target only high-risk individuals.

One major concern is the presence of children reportedly being held in the dark basements of the graffiti-covered Edward R. Roybal Federal Building. Sources suggest that the recent ICE raids were influenced by Trump aide Stephen Miller, who has been pushing for broader detentions in major Democratic-led cities.

Meanwhile, former President Trump dismissed the backlash during a White House appearance on Monday. “Civil war would happen if you left it to people like [Newsom],” Trump said, adding that he “never had a problem” with Newsom personally but considers him “grossly incompetent.”

In a legal filing Monday, California laid out three central arguments for its case:

1. The federalization of the Guard deprives California of critical emergency response resources.
2. Federal law mandates gubernatorial consent for such deployments — which was never sought or granted.
3. The order violates California’s constitutional right to control its own National Guard in absence of lawful federal power.

As of Monday night, protests showed no sign of slowing, though organizers and state officials urged demonstrators to remain peaceful. Law enforcement continues to monitor flashpoints while Marines prepare to establish a presence — although their specific role remains unclear.

Newsom, speaking to MSNBC earlier this week, vowed to see the legal battle through: “They had to coordinate with the governor of the state. They never did. This act is illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional.”

As California braces for what could be a prolonged standoff, the deployment of active-duty troops on domestic soil underlines growing national division — not just between federal and state authorities, but within the broader American populace.