President Donald Trump and his government officials warned that the use of the military in responding to protests against immigration crush may not be limited to Los Angeles, saying it can be the first “of many” – and that protesters can meet with “the same or greater strength.”
Trump told reporters at the Oval office on Tuesday that his government would uphold his deportation policy tightly and would not tolerate the protest of violence against ICE officers.
“This is the first, maybe, of many people,” Trump said about the spread of 4,000 national guards and 700 marines to Los Angeles when demonstrators clash with law enforcement in the midst of protests.
The demonstrators have clashed with sporadic law enforcers for days, and Trump calls the national bodyguard, against the wishes of Governor Gavin Newsom, in an effort to extinguish violence and allow immigration enforcement to continue.
President Donald Trump spoke with reporters at the White House Oval Office, June 10, 2025, in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“You know, if we don’t attack this one very strongly, you will have it throughout the country, but I can tell the whole country, that when they do, if they do, they will meet the same or bigger strength,” Trump continued.
The President’s threat came when the leaders of California and 22 Democratic Governors condemned the power of Trump as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and the provocative escalation.
Trump’s words were echoed in the testimony given by the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during the congress session at Capitol Hill the previous day.
“So in Los Angeles, we believe that Ice, which is a federal law enforcement agent, has the right to carry out operations safely in any state, in any jurisdiction in the country,” Hegseth said. “ICE agents must be allowed to be safe and carry out their operations, and we have mobilized the National Guard and Marines to protect them in carrying out their duties, because we must be able to uphold … Immigration Law in this country.”
The President suggested that he was open to asking for a rebellion in a response to the protest. The action gave the authority to the President to mobilize military forces in the United States to suppress rebellion or violence.
The National Guard and Marines, under Trump’s current authorization, are not permitted to act in the capacity of law enforcement due to the post of Posse Comitatus 1878.
“There was the Los Angeles area last night where you can call it a rebellion,” Trump said.
Trump repeated the claim, without evidence, that the protesters were “paid the rebellion.” He condemned some protesters who damaged the streets and targeted members of the National Guard.
LAPD officers faced protesters after three days of clashes with the police after a series of immigration attacks, June 9, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Spencer platt/getty image
Apart from the claim from Trump that there was a fire and “bad scene” on Monday night, nothing was hard. ABC News observes the police to move the protesters using the battle lines and more deadly rounds around the city for several hours, but there is no widespread violence compared to the weekend.
And although Trump claimed that Los Angeles was “surrounded,” the incident has been locked up on Sundays and Monday in a relatively small area in the center of Los Angeles-10 blocks.
So far, the presence and role of the National Guard in dealing with protests seems to be very minimal.
ABC News observes the National Guard forces standing outside the Federal Building and the Los Angeles Police Department and other local agents cleaning the streets and interacting with protesters.
Administration has not immediately provided details about the guard’s actions from Monday.
Someone raised their hands facing a row of police outside the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Office Santa Ana after reports of ice attacks in Santa Ana, California, June 9, 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP Via Getty Images
Republican Congress – including DPR Speaker Mike Johnson and majority leader of Senate John Thune – supporting the use of the President’s military in the situation.
“Obviously, local officials there, for any reason, do not seem to be in accordance with the task of completing work there,” Thune told reporters on Tuesday.
Although the minority leader of the Chuck Schumer Senate said “Violence in the riots is outrageous,” he said Trump’s orders to send troops “provocative” and “dangerous.”
“That really threatens the foundation of our democracy,” said the Democrat New York.
Trump said the national bodyguard would be in the Los Angeles area “until there was no danger,” refused to put a schedule to end the placement.
“Easy. Look, it makes sense. … When there is no danger, they will leave,” he said.
ABC News’ Alex Stone, Lalee Ibssa, Isabella Murray and Kelsey Walsh and contribute to this report.