LA Troops: Pentagon Reveals Single Accomplishment
- Marines to Los Angeles during recent protests has cost taxpayers an estimated $134 million. The move sparked controversy,with critics questioning the use of military force on U.S.
- More than 500 arrests have been made in Los Angeles as June 8 in connection with demonstrations.
- Ro Khanna,D-Calif., told The Intercept that ther was "no reason" to deploy U.S.
Taxpayers footed a $134 million bill for the military deployment to the LA protests. This controversial decision, involving National Guard troops and U.S. Marines, has sparked intense debate over the role of military force on American soil. More than 500 arrests followed the demonstrations. Critics, including Rep. Ro Khanna, have questioned the necessity of using U.S. forces in a situation that local law enforcement could perhaps handle. The Pentagon’s actions,coupled with the DHS’s initial (and quickly retracted) consideration of active-duty personnel in law enforcement,raise serious questions.William Hartung called the deployment a threat to democracy. News Directory 3 delivers a deep dive into the specifics, including the reported detention of a civilian. Discover what’s next as the story unfolds.
LA Protests: Military Deployment Costs $134M Amid Controversy
The deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles during recent protests has cost taxpayers an estimated $134 million. The move sparked controversy,with critics questioning the use of military force on U.S. soil.
More than 500 arrests have been made in Los Angeles as June 8 in connection with demonstrations. Over 200 of those arrests occurred on June 10, the night President Donald Trump ordered in the National guard and Marines, for failure to disperse.
Rep. Ro Khanna,D-Calif., told The Intercept that ther was “no reason” to deploy U.S. forces against U.S. citizens when local law enforcement could handle the situation.
Trump initially called up over 2,000 National Guard troops on june 7 to quell protests. He then activated 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based in Twentynine Palms, California, and sent them to Los Angeles on June 9.
William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, called the deployment a threat to democracy and “likely illegal.” He argued that sending troops over the objections of local and state officials undermines state autonomy.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially indicated a shift toward using active-duty military personnel in law enforcement roles, but quickly retracted the statement.
The only reported detention by the Marines involved a man near the Wilshire federal Building. Video footage showed Marines in combat gear zip-tying a man in shorts and a T-shirt. The man, Marcos Leao, a former Army combat engineer and U.S. citizen, told Reuters he was rushing to an appointment at the Veterans Affairs office when he crossed a strand of caution tape.
U.S. Army North stated that military members are not authorized to directly participate in law enforcement activities but may temporarily detain someone for protection purposes until they can be safely transferred to civilian law enforcement custody.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House subcommittee that he anticipated troops remaining in Los Angeles for 60 days.Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, estimated the initial cost of the deployment at $134 million.
the Pentagon has not yet provided an updated cost estimate.
Khanna cautioned that the Trump governance’s actions in California should serve as a warning to other states. He urged governors to be vigilant against potential overreach, noting Trump’s stated intention to target Democratic-leaning cities and states.