As I understand it, the worst that happened in the “riots” in Los Angeles was a lot of graffiti and about five Waymo self-driving taxis set on fire. And for this Trump is blowing $135 million to deploy 5,000 National Guard and Marines to do whatever. Genius.
In Trump’s addled mind, everyone is always in awe of what a great job he is doing. Sure.
“The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles absent clear coordination presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,” Chief Jim McDonnell said, adding, “The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively.”
On Wednesday, Trump seems to have taken McDonnell’s statement as praise. “If we weren’t there, if we didn’t bring in the National Guard and the Marines, you would probably have a city that was burning to the ground,” Trump told the press at a performance of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center. (In reality, the largely peaceful protests have been confined to just a few blocks in the city.) Trump continued, “In fact, the chief of police said so much, if you look at what his statements were. He said, ‘We’re very lucky to have had them.’”
But McDonnell rejected that claim. Asked by CNN host Kaitlin Collins if Trump’s characterization of his statement was accurate, McDonnell said, “No. We were not in a position to request the National Guard.”
McDonnell listed the resources local law enforcement officials have at their disposal to respond to demonstrations, should they get out of hand. Then he stated flatly that the protests haven’t risen to a level that warrants military intervention. “We’re nowhere near a level that we would be reaching out to the governor for National Guard at this stage,” he said, “And my hope is that things are going in the right direction now and that we wouldn’t have had to have done that, or we won’t either.”
I read this morning that there has been some looting over the past three days or so, but that suggests the looting started after the troops showed up on Sunday. A local television news story says the looters are “habitual agitators,” not the protesters. Of course, Fox News viewers are being told the looters are “anti-ICE protesters.” And the rightie website Hot Air is running a hysterical story saying that “the riots in Los Angele are not organic spillovers from extemporaneous protests against ICE, but well-funded operations designed to create mayhem in the streets.” At least the story doesn’t mention George Soros for a change. Righties also sincerely believe all of Los Angeles is on fire, which of course it isn’t. I take it Fox News has been showing a video of a burning Waymo cab on a continuous loop for several days.
I can remember back in the 1990s when the wingnuts were incessantly screaming about the “jack-booted thugs” of government stomping on the rights of honest citizens, especially after Ruby Ridge and Waco. And I’d be the first to say that Ruby Ridge and Waco were grossly mishandled. But here’s Trump pushing the jack-booted thug approach to a situation that is really a local police matter. Worse, Trump is over-using force to suppress lawful dissent against him.
The Guardian is reporting that at least some of the troops in Los Angeles realize they are being used.
California national guards troops and marines deployed to Los Angeles to help restore order after days of protest against the Trump administration have told friends and family members they are deeply unhappy about the assignment and worry their only meaningful role will be as pawns in a political battle they do not want to join.
Three different advocacy organisations representing military families said they had heard from dozens of affected service members who expressed discomfort about being drawn into a domestic policing operation outside their normal field of operations. The groups said they have heard no countervailing opinions.
The best thing I’ve read about Los Angeles is by Rebecca Solnit, Some Notes on the City of Angels and the Nature of Violence. Just read it.
Something else to read is Funding the War on Ourselves by Josh Marshall at TPM.
Also, too: Paul Krugman, This Is Not a Drill.
Update: So this just happened:
Watching CNN’s coverage to see how it’s playing, and even though this video has been out here for an hour they just showed a still from it for the first time.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) June 12, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reichsminister Noem actually said in a press conference, “We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country.” And when Senator Padilla confronted her, this is what happened.
Update: Another good read — Will Bunch, From Fort Bragg to L.A., Trump enlists the military in a slow-motion coup
Update: Netanyahu has launched an attack on Iran, and a lot about this move is making Trump look like an idiot, but I’ll say more about this tomorrow. The domestic news is that a federal judge has ordered control of the National Guard in Los Angeles to be returned to the governor. From the New York Times:
A federal judge issued an order late Thursday blocking President Trump from deploying members of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, and ordered the administration to return control of the forces to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The order from District Judge Charles R. Breyer, which takes effect Friday at noon Pacific time, delivered a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s effort to deploy thousands of National Guard troops on the streets of an American city, a move has contributed to nearly a week of political rancor and protests across the country.
Though the order does not rule on the Marines, as the state had hoped, it does go further with regard to the National Guard than California had even requested. The state asked for the military’s activity to be limited to guarding federal buildings — but the judge ordered control of the Guard to be returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In his ruling, Judge Charles Breyer refuted a piece of the Trump administration’s rationale for calling up the National Guard, saying, “The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of ’rebellion.’”
Tomorrow should be fun.
Horror followed by lies and coverup. Ugly.
Now even Senators are not allowed speak truth to power even from states that are lucky enough to have one that represents them.
No Kings
Wow, this is so 1848.
I'm grinding through Revolutionary Spring, an account of the 1848 revolution(s) in Europe. Two things stand out. One is that the tide usually turned when the local national guard or its equivalent threw in its lot with the rebels. The other is that the revolutionaries were so incompetent and fractious that their they stood no chance of governing.
It's painful to read.
If the National Guard from CA is displeased (which I am inclined to believe) with a mission to support Trump tyranny, it does not bode well for future mobilizations where the commanders know what to expect. An officer is expected to refuse to obey an illegal order. Looking at the commander, if it's possible, bordering on certain, that if a significant portion of the troops disagrees with a mission to silence dissent, the CO who follows illegal orders that result in civilian deaths can EXPECT that subordinates will testify against him if the Constitutional rule of law and the UCMJ is restored.
Contrast this with Nazi Germany. None of the Brown Shirts who operated as Hitlar's extralegal enforcers had divided loyalties. They were all-in fascists, which can't be said for the National Guard. Trump and Miller expect the troops to be mindless Borg drones. Mattis was not – neither was Esper. Miller will try to suspend the UCMJ and implement field executions of officers who disobey, a bridge too far even for most MAGA in the military, I think.
On the subject of legality, the courts may provide cover for the ethical officer if/when they declare the mobilization of troops within the US to be illegal. An officer has reason other than his own conscience to believe orders to suppress assembly and speech to be violations of the Constitution.
If the USSC allows troops within the US to suppress disagreement with Trump, the court itself is at the mercy of Trump, should he send troops against Supreme Court Justices who rule against Trump. Roman legions were not allowed to enter Rome. Think about why,
Just in:
Federal judge says Trump unlawfully federalized members of California’s National Guard
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/la-protests-ice-raids-trump-06-12-25
Others have made the point, but Los Angeles covers about 500 square miles. The mayhem is a few blocks total out of all of this. About .00001 % (don't check the math).
I am livid about what happened to Alex Padilla. And about that Nazi woman who admitted she was in LA to rid the city and state of socialism. Who does she think she is? Yeah, we all want to join you at the bottom, in your lovely South Dakota.
As for the California delegation, Karen Bass said she doesn't recognize Noem, who she said she worked with for 10 years. Marco Rubio is another who sold his soul.
What's disappointing is the messaging. Newson has so-so political skills; Adam Schiff, also livid about Padilla, spoke on the Senate, going on and on about Republican policy failures – as if this is what Trump or the Republicans care about.
None of these people are cutting to the core issue: Bullying and destruction by criminals and thugs. They dance around it, but they still can't powerfully, and succinctly state it. Sharpen your rhetorical skills, folks, the country is on fire.
One upside is that the riot in LA and spreading across the country, with Padilla's manhandling added to it, is going to produce a spectacular No Kings protest on Saturday.
I've decided not to go – it will be pushing 110 degrees in Vegas, but more importantly, I am too likely to get into a fight, which would not go well for me. Better to stay home and pray for a miracle for this country.
Great news about Judge Breyer's ruling condemning the takeover of California's National Guard. Harry Litman explained how F47 may appeal it: they may argue that only the President can decide a rebellion is going on. That's one of the ambiguities in the law.
One more thing: Josh Marshall referred to Noem as dumb, degenerate punk. That's about right.