The 700 Marines deployed to Los Angeles by President Trump have not yet hit the streets and are instead on standby, conducting nonlethal training.
Dozens of Marines were captured on aerial footage Tuesday practicing hand-to-hand combat and crowd control on Seal Beach field, just south of L.A. County. The deployment, initiated after violent riots over the weekend, includes 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard members.
A federal judge has rejected Governor Newsom’s request for a temporary restraining order to block the deployment. The cost of sending the Marines and National Guard to Southern California is estimated at $134 million, with funds coming from the operations and maintenance budget.
The National Guard and Marines are acting under the direction of the U.S. Northern Command, limited to protecting federal property and personnel rather than engaging in broader law enforcement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the mission is not about lethality, but about maintaining law and order on behalf of law enforcement agents.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Bryn MacDonnell stated that the funds will be pulled from the operations and maintenance budget. USMC Commandant Gen. Eric Smith confirmed that the Marines are acting under NORTHCOM’s direction, with a focus on protecting federal property and personnel.
The deployment has sparked a public war of words between Governor Newsom and Trump administration officials. Newsom accused the president of having ‘commandeered’ thousands of the state’s National Guard members ‘illegally, for no reason’ without consulting California’s law enforcement leaders.
The Trump administration defended its ICE operations, stating that they are aiming to get ‘criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapests, gangbangers, drug dealers, human traffickers and domestic abusers off the streets.’ This has further intensified the political divide between the administration and the state government.
The situation in Los Angeles remains volatile, with ongoing riots and the potential for further escalation. The National Guard and Marines are expected to complete their nonlethal weapons training in the coming days, with the possibility of moving to active duty if the situation worsens.
Meanwhile, the political landscape continues to shape the response to the deployment, with each side blaming the other for the unrest. The outcome will depend on how the situation evolves and the effectiveness of the deployed forces in managing the crisis.