SOUND THE ALARM: Trump Provokes Chaos & Fear in Los Angeles

In an unprecedented move, Donald Trump crossed a dangerous line in the use of military force against communities in Los Angeles. In doing so, Trump ignored the wishes of the local and state governments and sent National Guard troops to confront peaceful protests. This decision was met with objections from California officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the Los Angeles Police Department. This is the first time in 60 years a president has deployed the National Guard without the governor’s consent. It is a dangerous power grab meant to manufacture a crisis, provoke people, and create chaos.

Read statements from some of our EMILYs List women who are fighting back:

Karen Bass – Mayor of Los Angeles 

“Deploying federalized troops on the heels of these raids is a chaotic escalation…The fear people are feeling in our city right now is very real – it’s felt in our communities and within our families and it puts our neighborhoods at risk. This is the last thing that our city needs, and I urge protestors to remain peaceful. I’ve been in touch this morning with immigrant rights leaders as well as local law enforcement officials. Los Angeles will always stand with everyone who calls our city home.” (Read her full statement here.) 

Luz Rivas – U.S. Representative (CA-29)

“Trump wants to bait unrest, sow fear, and distract us from his plans to take away healthcare from millions of Americans. This isn’t about safety, it’s about theater – and California isn’t going to bite. We don’t have a Commander in Chief, we have a Commander in Chaos.” (Watch her speak out here.)

Laura Friedman – U.S. Congresswoman (CA-30)

“There is no cause for Trump to commandeer the California National Guard and send them into Los Angeles against the wishes of the LA community. Local and state police are more than capable of handling the situation…Trump wants a spectacle to distract Americans from what he and the Congressional Republicans are doing in Washington.  He doesn’t want you to focus on his threats to our rights, our healthcare, our infrastructure, our environment, and our future. Don’t give Trump what he wants. Stay focused. Stay nonviolent. Stay organized. Hold the line.” (Read her full statement here.)

Nanette D. Barragán – U.S. Representative (CA-44) 

“Calling in the National Guard when the Governor has not requested assistance is an intentional move by the Trump Administration to unnecessarily escalate the situation in Los Angeles County. Now the SecDef is threatening the use of active military, Marines from Camp Pendleton. This is an abuse of power and what dictators do. It’s unnecessary and not needed.” (Read her statement here.) 

Democratic Governors – Including Gov. Laura Kelly, Gov. Maura Healey, Gov. Katie Hobbs, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Gov. Tina Kotek, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Gov. Janet Mills, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 

“President Trump’s move to deploy California’s National Guard is 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. Further, threatening to send the U.S. Marines into American neighborhoods undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.” (Read their full statement here.)

Elissa Slotkin – U.S. Senator, Michigan  

“This deployment of the National Guard is a dangerous step towards misuse of the U.S. military in our streets. This Administration has been looking for excuses to invoke the Insurrection Act, to use the U.S. military against Americans. That’s their playbook, and we should be clear-eyed about that…No President has the right to use the uniformed military in a way that violates the Constitution and taints the apolitical military. Whether you’re a supporter of the president or not, everyone should be concerned that major lines on the use of force are now being crossed.” (Read her full statement here.)

Mikie Sherrill – Candidate for New Jersey Governor & U.S. Representative (NJ-11) 

“Let’s call this what it really is: a dangerous stunt designed to inflame divisions and further a political agenda…. So I’ll show up every day ready to serve and protect our great state, no matter what Trump sends our way.” (Read her full statement here.)

Maggie Goodlander – U.S. Representative (NH-02)

“In America, domestic military deployments are extremely rare because it is the job of domestic law enforcement officers — not our Armed Forces — to enforce our laws. There are very good reasons for that in a democracy that depends on the public’s trust. President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops over the objections of a Governor is a deeply concerning escalation.” (Read her statement here.)

Adelita Grijalva – Candidate for AZ-07

“Warrantless raids are a threat to due process and basic civil rights. The Trump administration continues to find new and terrible ways to disgrace itself. What’s happening in LA is solely fueling fear – not safety. We must reject this cruelty and fight for dignity.” (Read her statement here.) 

Kamala Harris – Former Vice President of the United States of America

“Los Angeles is my home. And like so many Americans, I am appalled at what we are witnessing on the streets of our city. Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos. In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration’s cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division. This Administration’s actions are not about public safety — they’re about stoking fear. Fear of a community demanding dignity and due process. Protest is a powerful tool — essential in the fight for justice. And as the LAPD, Mayor, and Governor have noted, demonstrations in defense of our immigrant neighbors have been overwhelmingly peaceful. I continue to support the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect our most fundamental rights and freedoms.” (Read her full statement here.)