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Tensions flared in Washington this week as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Trump administration’s decision to deploy federal troops to Los Angeles amid violent unrest, pushing back against criticism from Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN).
The disagreement centers around President Donald Trump’s recent deployment of approximately 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines in response to riots in Los Angeles, which followed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests targeting individuals with criminal records.
Rep. McCollum, a senior Democrat on defense appropriations, criticized the move, arguing that local and state agencies were capable of maintaining order. Citing the 2020 unrest in Minnesota, she said, “Our National Guard and law enforcement have handled more volatile situations. We never needed Marines then, and we don’t now.”
Hegseth, a Minnesota native, rebutted her claims by pointing to what he described as state-level failures during the 2020 riots following George Floyd’s death.
“Governor Walz abandoned a police precinct and allowed it to be burned to the ground,” Hegseth said. “That chaos went on for five days. The National Guard was mobilized, but far too late.”
He argued that such precedents justified the proactive federal response in Los Angeles. “President Trump understands that if a situation spirals out of control and a governor hesitates, it can endanger lives and public safety,” Hegseth said.
The violence in Los Angeles reportedly included arson, looting, and attacks involving fireworks and Molotov cocktails. Despite live broadcasts showing property damage, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass maintained that the city was “calm.” Federal officials, however, defended the deployment as necessary to stabilize conditions and protect ICE agents conducting lawful operations.
California leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom, filed legal action against the Trump administration, arguing the deployment was unconstitutional and unwarranted.
The debate has reopened national questions about the role of the federal government during civil unrest and the limits of state authority in maintaining public order.
Notably, the 2020 Minneapolis riots caused an estimated $500 million in damages, leading Governor Walz at the time to call the response an “abject failure.”
The dispute between Hegseth and McCollum highlights broader tensions between federal and state leadership over how best to respond to unrest tied to immigration enforcement and public protest.
