Use of the National Guard: “You spit, we beat”: Trump demonstrates his power

US President Donald Trump speaks of “violent, insurgent meters” who have taken over Los Angeles – reality looks different. Until the early Sunday evening (local time) there were only individual protests in the city center of the extensive metropolis of millions – in the order that would normally hardly make any larger waves. There were also riots on the edge of these peaceful protests. Trump uses such clashes as a justification for the use of the national guard and even mobilization of the regular military.

Meanwhile, the first 300 soldiers of the National Guard took a position in combat gear and with automatic weapons to protect the federal government from protests and vandalism. In addition, around 500 marine fans of the regular armed forces would be ready to intervene if necessary, the responsible regional command of the military said.

A use of the regular army inside would be another serious escalation. Soldiers are trained for military missions and the war, not for police tasks such as control of protests in American city centers.

Mayor Karen Bass, who had rejected the national guard’s commitment, spoke of several thousand demonstrators, some of whom had also blocked a highway at times. In the protests, bottles and stones were also thrown on security forces when officials pushed the demonstrators back from the vicinity of the federal and highway buildings.

Tear gas and burning cars

The local police went to the crowd with trumpets and sometimes also tear gas. Live pictures on television also showed individual arrests. According to the mayor, there were some cases of vandalism, several cars went up in flames.

Bass warned that the intimidating use of the national guard could lead to a further escalation of the protests. A police representative told the CNN broadcaster that experience has shown that after sunset, riots were to be expected from particularly stubborn demonstrators.

Increased operations by the US immigration authority ICE, following Trump’s requirements in the Los Angeles migrant area without valid papers, has to trigger a few protests at the end of last week. Therefore, Trump had at least 2,000 soldiers from the National Guard mobilized on Saturday evening (local time) and also did not rule out the use of the regular military.

California accuses Trump illegal action

The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, described Trump’s approach as “illegal”. The mobilization of the national guard without his consent is a “serious violation of the sovereignty of the state,” says a protest letter to US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, which newsoma published on platform X. The Democrat, who got an idea of ​​the situation in Los Angeles, pointed out that there were enough local security forces.

In conversation with the broadcaster CNN, his deputy Eleni Kounalakis indicated that a lawsuit against Trump’s approach can be expected at the beginning of the week.

Trump threatened the demonstrators with blows if they spit on or throw security forces. “They spit, this is their new thing,” said the Republican in front of reporters on the way to Camp David. If that happens, he has a clear message: “You spit, we beat.” Trump is known for his pithy slogans – and in English the threat even rhyme: “They spit, we hit.”

Trump also speaks of troops in other cities

Trump does not want to rule out use of soldiers in other cities in the United States. It is being checked to “have troops anywhere,” said Trump. “We don’t let the country tear apart.” When asked, he also did not want to rule out a kind of war law to master the protests. At the moment, however, there is no need to apply the law known as the “insurrection act”, said Trump.

Trump’s decree on mobilizing the national guard speaks of “a form of rebellion” against state power – but does not explicitly call Los Angeles. So it could be used anywhere in the USA.

Harris: Trump wants “chaos donate”

The democrat Kamala Harris, who lost Trump in November in November, criticized his approach sharply. To use soldiers of the National Guard against mostly peacefully protesting demonstrators – that is “a dangerous escalation that chaos is supposed to donate,” wrote Harris on the platform X. “It is part of the cruel, calculating agenda of Trump’s government to spread panic and division.”

The government of the Republican is not concerned with public security, but about anxiety – “fear of a group that demands dignity and the rule of law,” added Harris with a view to migrants who have to fear deportation from the USA given Trump’s hard course in migration policy.

Protest of the democratic governors

Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard described the union of all democratic governors of the US states as “alarming abuse of power”. A commitment of the security forces against the will of the affected state is “ineffective and dangerous”. The threat of also using marine fans in American cities is not only undermined by the military’s actual mission and the public’s trust. She also shows that Trump’s government does not trust local security forces.

Historical demonstration of power

The use of the national guard against the governor’s resistance is a highly unusual government demonstration of power. Since 1965, no US President had taken over the national guard of a state against its declared will.

Normally, the states have control over the national guard – a military reserve unit that is part of the US forces. Each state has its own guard, which can be used in forest fires, hurricanes, floods or unrest inside. It is then under the command of the respective governor. If there is a war or national emergencies, the US President can take command.