The Defense Department has activated approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines, preparing them to deploy to Los Angeles to assist the California National Guard as they respond to protests in the city, Scripps News has confirmed.
The soldiers are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, stationed at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County, California.
They will work with some 2,100 National Guard personnel already deployed in the greater Los Angeles Area. All the personnel have been "trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force," U.S. Northern Command said.
While a formal timeline for their deployment has not been given, an unnamed official told ABC news the Marines were expected to be deployed within 24 hours.
The deployment comes over the objections from California officials to the use of military or National Guard personnel.
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Before news of the deployment broke, President Donald Trump had told reporters on Monday "we'll see what happens" with the state of protests in California.
"I think we have it very well under control — I think it would have been a very bad situation, it was heading in the wrong direction, it’s now heading in the right direction," President Trump said.
But the president also indicated he supported a strong response to the protestors, who he called "insurrectionists."
"IF THEY SPIT, WE WILL HIT, and I promise you they will be hit harder than they have ever been hit before," he wrote on social media about how he expected the National Guard to conduct themselves.
Defense Department officials confirmed on Monday evening that President Trump had ordered the deployment of an additional 2,000 California National Guard troops to the region, doubling their numbers.
President Trump also told reporters on Monday he would support the arrest of Gov. Newsom.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
