Fact Check: "President Donald Trump suggested that the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles was the reason the protests in that city went peacefully."
What We Know
In June 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests against his immigration policies. The protests, which began in response to federal immigration raids, were characterized by local officials as mostly peaceful, although there were instances of violence and clashes with law enforcement (source-2, source-3). Trump justified the deployment by stating that it was necessary to prevent the city from "burning down" and referred to the protests as "insurrection" (source-4, source-6).
Local law enforcement had previously managed the protests without significant escalation, and many demonstrations remained peaceful even after the National Guard's arrival. However, there were reports of violence and arrests, particularly in the early days of the protests (source-2, source-5).
Analysis
The claim that Trump's deployment of the National Guard was the reason the protests in Los Angeles went peacefully is complex. While it is true that the presence of the National Guard may have contributed to a reduction in violence during certain protests, attributing the peacefulness solely to their deployment overlooks several factors.
Local officials had already been managing the protests effectively, and many demonstrations were peaceful before the troops arrived (source-2). Furthermore, the deployment was met with significant opposition from California officials, who argued that it was an overreach of federal power and unnecessary given the local law enforcement's capability to handle the situation (source-2, source-8).
Moreover, Trump's characterization of the protests as insurrectionist rhetoric may have inflamed tensions rather than alleviating them, suggesting that the deployment's impact on the protests' peacefulness is not straightforward (source-4, source-6).
In conclusion, while the National Guard's presence may have played a role in maintaining order during some protests, it is not accurate to claim that their deployment was the sole reason for the peacefulness of the protests in Los Angeles.
Conclusion
Verdict: Partially True
The claim that President Trump suggested the deployment of National Guard troops was the reason the protests in Los Angeles went peacefully is partially true. While the presence of the National Guard may have contributed to a reduction in violence during certain protests, many demonstrations were already peaceful prior to their arrival. The situation is complicated by the fact that local officials were managing the protests effectively, and Trump's rhetoric may have actually heightened tensions rather than calmed them.
Sources
- Appeals court allows Trump to keep National Guard in L.A. ...
- What to Know About the Immigration Protests in Los Angeles
- Marines deployed to LA to respond to immigration protests
- Appeals court temporarily allows Trump to keep National ...
- June 13, 2025 - News on protests over Trump's ...
- National Guard Could Be Sent to Other Cities, Trump Says
- June 11, 2025 - Anti-ICE protests in LA and across US
- Is Trump's Troop Deployment to Los Angeles Illegal?
