Trump officials to send home half of the 4,000 National Guard troops in L.A.
Published in News & Features
LOS ANGELES — The Pentagon on Tuesday announced that half of the 4,000 National Guard troops who have been deployed to Los Angeles will be released from their duties.
Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesperson, said that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered 2,000 of the National Guard troops released from what they called a “federal protection mission.”
“Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding,” Parnell said in a statement.
Hegseth and the Trump administration had federalized almost 4,000 California National Guard in an unprecedented display of force to respond to unrest in the area over increased immigration enforcement in Southern California. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass strongly opposed the move and said it only inflamed the situation.
Even with the 2,000 troops headed home, that still leaves another 2,000 National Guard and 700 active-duty Marines activated in the area.
They have been tasked with protecting federal buildings and assisting federal agents as they conduct immigration enforcement operations.
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