Growing political divisions as Trump sends National Guard to Los Angeles

(Patria) - Republicans and Democrats exchanged insults on Sunday after President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles amid mass protests against increasingly frequent and disruptive immigration raids, Reuters reported.

“It’s important to remember that Trump is not trying to heal or maintain peace. He wants to inflame and
divide,” said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.

“His movement does not believe in democracy or protests, and if they get the chance to end the rule of law, they will take it.”

Democratic Senator Cory Booker condemned Trump for deploying troops without California’s approval, warning that it would only escalate tensions. He accused Trump of hypocrisy and highlighted the president’s inaction on January 6, 2021, when thousands of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and his subsequent pardons for those arrested.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Trump argued over the protests, with Newsom condemning the federal response as excessive, saying Trump wants a “spectacle,” while the president accused Newsom of failing to maintain order.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday defended Trump’s decision and said he is not concerned about the deployment of the National Guard, adding: “One of our core principles is maintaining peace through strength. We do that in both foreign and domestic affairs. I don’t think it’s excessive.”

Republican Senator James Lankford said Trump is trying to de-escalate tensions,
pointing to scenes of protesters throwing objects at law enforcement. He recalled similar unrest in 2020 in Seattle and Portland, where the National Guard supported local law enforcement amid protests for racial justice.

The protests against the raids have become the latest focal point in the national debate on immigration,
protest rights, and the use of federal force in domestic affairs. They have also sparked discussion about the limits of presidential power and the public’s right to dissent.