President Donald Trump, his top Cabinet officials, and military leaders gathered at Camp David on Sunday for a high-stakes meeting aimed at addressing the violent protests that have erupted in Los Angeles over recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The gathering, which included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reflects the administration’s urgent efforts to contain the unrest and restore order in the city. Trump, who has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the approval of California Governor Gavin Newsom, has left the door open for invoking the Insurrection Act to send in U.S. Marines if the situation escalates further.
The protests, which have seen clashes between activists and law enforcement, are a direct response to the administration’s immigration enforcement policies. Trump, who has framed the unrest as a ‘Migrant Invasion,’ has called for decisive action to end the riots, urging his Cabinet to take all necessary measures to ‘liberate Los Angeles’ from what he describes as the threat posed by the migrants. The meeting at Camp David marks the first of what is expected to become a regular off-site retreat for the administration, with discussions covering a range of critical issues, including China trade talks and diplomatic negotiations with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
In addition to addressing the domestic situation, the administration is also preparing for an upcoming diplomatic engagement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as ongoing hostage and ceasefire talks with Hamas continue. The broader context of these discussions includes the Trump administration’s push for the Senate to pass his signature spending legislation, the Big Beautiful Bill Act, while simultaneously managing tensions with billionaire and former top advisor Elon Musk. The meeting at Camp David underscores the complexity of the Trump administration’s priorities as it navigates both internal and international challenges, with the military’s role in domestic law enforcement remaining a contentious issue amid the ongoing protests.