Newsom Condemns Trump’s Military Response to Protests, Defends State Sovereignty
California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday for deploying military forces in response to immigration protests, calling it a “brazen abuse of power” and a threat to state sovereignty.
Speaking during a statewide address, Newsom confirmed that 220 individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent riots in Los Angeles, sparked by intensified federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. While vowing to prosecute violent offenders to the fullest extent of the law, the governor also praised the many protesters who demonstrated peacefully.
“Peaceful assembly is not what Trump wanted,” Newsom said, accusing the president of prioritizing escalation and “theatrics over public safety.”
He condemned the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of active-duty Marines to Los Angeles, warning that the militarization of local communities risks further unrest.
“These are men and women trained for foreign combat, not domestic policing,” Newsom said. “We honor their service, but we do not want our streets militarized.”
The governor expressed concern over reports of unmarked vehicles patrolling school zones and neighborhoods, contributing to public fear and disrupting normal life. “Kids are afraid to attend their own graduation,” he noted.
Newsom alleged that the Trump administration’s enforcement actions have strayed far beyond targeting violent criminals.
“Dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers, seamstresses — these are the people being rounded up,” he said. “This isn’t strength. It’s weakness masquerading as authority.”
California filed a lawsuit against the federal government this week, and on Tuesday, the state sought an emergency court order to block the military deployment. Newsom had earlier sent a letter urging Trump to rescind the order and return command of National Guard troops to the state.
He also responded to calls from former ICE Director Tom Homan, who suggested Newsom should be arrested for obstructing federal immigration policy — a suggestion Trump later endorsed. “He’s calling for a sitting governor to be arrested for getting elected,” Newsom said. “This is authoritarianism in plain sight.”
Concluding his remarks, Newsom warned that the implications of Trump’s actions extend beyond California. “This is about all of us,” he said. “Democracy is next. The moment we feared has arrived.”
Despite his sharp critique, the governor urged Californians to remain peaceful in their protest.
“You are the antidote to fear,” he said. “Don’t give in.”
With input from Fox News
