NOTE: VIDEO at the end of the article:
In a fiery appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press this past Sunday, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles amid growing civil unrest. The protests erupted in response to recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in downtown LA, sparking confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Booker, a vocal critic of the president, argued that Trump’s move was heavy-handed, counterproductive, and made without proper coordination with local leaders. According to the senator, the deployment could escalate tensions rather than calm them.
“The president made this decision without a request from local officials,” Booker said. “That breaks with generations of tradition. Since long before I was born, it’s been understood that cooperation and coordination between federal and local authorities are essential when responding to protests or civil unrest.”
The New Jersey Democrat framed the move as politically motivated and potentially dangerous, suggesting it reflected a broader pattern of authoritarian behavior from the Trump administration. “For the president to bypass local input in this way,” Booker said, “only serves to incite the situation and make things worse.”
Booker went further by drawing a direct comparison between the current situation and Trump’s widely criticized response to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He accused Trump of hypocrisy for using federal force against protesters while pardoning those convicted in the violent Capitol breach.
“We have a president who sat back and did nothing as rioters stormed our Capitol, beat law enforcement officers, and caused the deaths of some of them,” Booker stated. “These were convicted criminals, cop killers in some cases — and yet he turned around and pardoned them all.”
The protests in Los Angeles, triggered by federal immigration actions, have seen a mix of peaceful demonstrations and violent outbursts, including clashes with police and acts of property damage. President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard was made late Saturday, following reports of fires being set and officers being attacked with thrown objects.
While some Republicans argue that a strong federal response is necessary to restore order, Democrats like Booker warn that such measures may only inflame already volatile situations. The debate underscores deep partisan divisions over law enforcement, protest rights, and federal authority.
As the situation in Los Angeles continues to unfold, Booker’s comments signal that Democratic leaders are prepared to confront the administration head-on over its handling of the unrest — and the broader implications for civil liberties and democratic norms.
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