Fort Bragg [North Carolina]: In a strongly-worded address at Fort Bragg, US President Donald Trump condemned the ongoing protests in Los Angeles, calling them “a full-blown assault on peace, public order, and national sovereignty,” as reported by Al Jazeera.
Speaking on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the US Army, Trump praised military professionalism and reiterated his push for legislation mandating a one-year prison term for those who burn the American flag.
The President directly criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of incompetence and alleging they were funding “troublemakers, agitators, and insurrectionists” to fuel the unrest.
“Their position is that the rioting will not stop unless ICE withdraws from Los Angeles and ceases enforcement of federal immigration law,” Trump asserted. “So sad what they’ve done to our country.”
The protests erupted following ICE raids across Los Angeles, which resulted in the arrest of dozens of undocumented immigrants, sparking outrage among immigrant rights groups and local activists.
In response, the Department of Defence confirmed that Trump has ordered an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal law enforcement agencies.
“At the order of the President, the Department of Defence is mobilising an additional 2,000 California National Guard to be called into federal service to support ICE and to enable federal law enforcement officers to safely conduct their duties,” stated Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs, on X.
This fresh deployment follows the initial mobilisation of 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday, as the Trump administration vows to take tougher action against what it views as escalating unrest over immigration enforcement.
Meanwhile, California state authorities have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the constitutionality of the National Guard deployments and asking a federal judge to halt the mobilisation order.
The situation in Los Angeles remains tense, as both federal and local authorities brace for further demonstrations amid the contentious immigration crackdown.