The Minister of Defense Hegseth maintained the spread of 4,800 national and marine guard personnel to Los Angeles in the testimony of his first congress since taking over the Pentagon.
Representative of Betty McCollum from Minnesota, the top Democrats in the Defense Defense House subcommittee, insisted that the Marines were not trained for domestic missions.
“All units in the land have been fully trained,” Hegseth said.
California Stand Guard Stand Member Outside the Federal Building Edward R. Roybal on the morning of June 10, 2025, after another protest day in responding to federal immigration operations in Los Angeles.
Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP Via Getty Images
In all Hill Capitol, General Eric Smith, Marine Corps Commander, said that 700 marines sent to Los Angeles were trained in crowd control and would provide support to law enforcement in protecting federal property.
Senator Richard Blunthal, a Democrat Connecticut, expressed his doubt to Smith about the use of trained units in the country by saying that he had concerns and “very worried” that their spread increased the risk of deadly power that might be used.
“As a Marine, Senator, I will say that all marines are trained in the crowd control, the strengthening of the embassy, etc.