Hegseth slams Newsom, stating US will protect federal officers if California governor will not

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday night slammed California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, accusing him of not protecting federal law enforcement officers from unruly mobs in Los Angeles.

The statement comes after President Donald Trump activated National Guard troops over the weekend to defend federal buildings in Southern California amid rioting over a series of immigration-related raids. The Pentagon has since activated 700 Marines to help protect federal officers as well.

Hegseth said the new activations are because of security concerns regarding increased threats to federal officers. 

"Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order," Hegseth posted to X. "We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers — even if Gavin Newsom will not."

The 700 Marines will work alongside the 2,100 National Guard members, and are trained in "de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force."

The comment comes after Newsom claimed the activation of National Guard troops and Marines marked an "unwarranted" escalation.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.