President Donald Trump is taking credit for a return to calm following three days of protests over immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles.
“We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California,” he posted on Truth Social. “If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated.”
More than two dozen people were arrested over the weekend. President Trump blamed the unrest on California Gov. Gavin Newsom, accusing him of failing to take decisive action.
On Monday, as President Trump returned to the White House from Camp David, a reporter asked about earlier remarks from border czar Tom Homan, who said no one is above the law — not even a governor.
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“Gavin Newsom is daring Tom Homan to come and arrest him,” the reporter said. “Should he do it?”
“I would do it,” Trump replied. “Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.”
Newsom responded by posting a clip of Trump’s comments on social media.
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“The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting governor,” he wrote. “This is a day I hoped I would never see in America. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican — this is a line we cannot cross as a nation. This is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
The two leaders have been trading barbs online. Newsom has accused President Trump of escalating the situation by deploying the National Guard without a formal request from the state, calling the move a “serious breach of state sovereignty.”
