On June 9, Trump deployed the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines from Twentynine Palms, California, to Los Angeles.
Before Trump had done so, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the deployment of Marines after receiving advice from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan “Razin” Caine. Hegseth threatened this in a Tweet, which surprised other officials in the Pentagon.
The deployment of Marines came despite Trump’s claim that the situation in Los Angeles had improved.
“It’s lucky for the people in Los Angeles and in California that we did what we did. We got it just in time,” Trump said. “It’s still simmering a little bit, but not very much.”
ABC News
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell complained that the deployment of the Marines presented a “significant logistical and operational challenge.” He was not informed about the deployment, nor did the Defense Department bother coordinating with him.
The Marines are formally deployed to protect federal property, which allows them to be used without invoking the Insurrection Act. Guidelines from the Pentagon have been given to the Marines, emphasizing de-escalation, while giving them the right to self-defense. They are also given the right to temporarily detain citizens for an eventual transfer to law enforcement if they “are under assault or to prevent harm.”
Trump is severely testing the limits of Posse Comitatus, which prohibits the military from law enforcement roles, especially in the face of largely peaceful protests.
