Accusing the federal government of intentionally provoking rioters and "turning the military against American citizens," California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, filed an emergency motion to stop President Donald Trump from further using the National Guard and Marines to quell the ongoing anti-ICE raids in Los Angeles. (AP Newsroom)
In the statement, Newsom’s office blamed the ICE agents for the riots, saying that their operations were carried out "without providing notification to law enforcement and engineered them to provoke community backlash."
The next several days saw unrest and violent confrontations between anti-ICE rioters and law enforcement, while the Department of Homeland Security urged California state leaders to "call off their rioting mob."
A DHS statement put out Saturday read, "Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer-funded property. It took the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 2 hours to respond."
In response to the escalating chaos, Trump deployed thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Later, he also ordered 700 U.S. Marines into the city to restore order.
FORMER LA COUNTY SHERIFF CALLS CALIFORNIA'S RIOT RESPONSE 'FECKLESS' ON STEROIDS
Protesters hold up flags during protests after a series of immigration raids on Jun. 8, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Tensions in the city remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of city leaders. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Newsom has sued the Trump administration for deploying the military to Los Angeles. The lawsuit said Trump "unlawfully bypassed" Newsom by putting National Guard troops under federal control without the governor's permission.
The California attorney general, meanwhile, has claimed the president is "looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him."
"It’s not just immoral — it’s illegal and dangerous," said Bonta.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump administration and the Department of Defense for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Trump warned his administration is "not playing around."
Trump added that he had called California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday and criticized his handling of the riots.
"A day ago, I called him up to tell him got to do a better job. He's done a bad job causing a lot of death and a lot of a lot of potential death," Trump said of Newsom.
POSSE COMITATUS ACT AT CENTER OF TRUMP-NEWSOM NATIONAL GUARD DISPUTE IN LA
Demonstrators protest outside a downtown jail in Los Angeles following two days of clashes with police during a series of immigration raids on Jun. 08, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Tensions in the city remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of city leaders. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Trump offered further details on his exchange with Newsom to Fox News' John Roberts. Trump told Roberts that his first call to Newsom was not picked up, but that they did connect and speak for 16 minutes when he called again.
"I told him to, essentially, 'get his ass in gear,' and stop the riots, which were out of control," Trump told Roberts.
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"If we didn't send out the National Guard and last night, we gave him a little additional help. Los Angeles would be burning right now. Los Angeles would be not a lot different than what you saw take place in California, in Los Angeles just a little while ago," Trump added in his statement to reporters, referring to this year's wildfires.
Trump went on to describe the rioters as "animals," and argued they are paid agitators rather than real protesters.
"They look in your face and they spit right in your face. They're animals. And these are paid insurrectionists. These are paid troublemakers they're agitators. They're paid," Trump said. "These are paid insurrectionists or agitators or troublemakers. You can call it whatever you want. And we ended it, and we have in custody some very bad people, some very bad people."
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom, Louis Casiano and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/newsom-files-emergency-motion-immediately-block-trumps-use-military-stop-la-riots