Los Angeles riots: Trump gives ‘if I didn’t’ justification on sending troops; blames local leadership for chaos
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday asserted in a post on Truth Social that his decision to “send in the troops” to Los Angeles over the past three nights prevented what he described as the city’s potential descent into chaos. Trump claimed that if he had not intervened, the city would be “burning to the ground,” referencing the destruction of 25,000 homes attributed to what he labelled as “incompetent” local leadership from California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.Trump’s post comes amid rising tensions in Los Angeles, where protests have erupted against his administration’s aggressive deportation policies.Also read: ‘Stop fanning the flames’, Gavin Newsom blames Trump admin for inciting violence in LAThe unrest in the city began escalating on Monday evening when protesters gathered near a federal building and City Hall, prompting law enforcement to deploy flash bangs and foam rounds to disperse the crowds. The situation has intensified with the deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines to the area, marking a significant increase in federal military presence.In his Truth Social post, Trump criticised the local permitting process for rebuilding homes, stating, “the much more difficult, time-consuming, and stringent federal permitting process is virtually complete,” while local permits are “disastrously bungled up and way behind schedule.” He urged residents to contact their governor and mayor to expedite the recovery process, emphasising that “federal permitting is done!!!”The deployment of federal troops has sparked controversy, with state officials asserting that the situation in Los Angeles was manageable without additional military presence. Governor Newsom’s administration has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that the federalisation of California’s National Guard troops was unlawful and a violation of state rights.Also read: How Donald Trump’s immigration raids sparked the LA riotsAs per the New York Times, California attorney general Rob Bonta said that local law enforcement was prepared to handle the protests without federal intervention, stating, “We don’t take lightly to the president abusing his authority.”As protests continue across the country, including demonstrations in San Francisco and New York City, the situation in Los Angeles remains delicate. Mayor Karen Bass expressed her confusion over the necessity of deploying Marines, asserting that the National Guard’s presence was intended only to protect federal buildings. “I don’t understand that,” she remarked, highlighting the limited nature of the protests.
