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Senators split over use of Guard and Marines in Los Angeles protests; fears of dangerous precedent
Summary
Multiple senators raised constitutional and civil‑liberties concerns after testimony about the deployment of National Guard and active‑duty Marines to Los Angeles without a state request; supporters said the president acted to protect lives and federal property.
Senators on the Armed Services Committee debated the legal and policy implications of deploying National Guard units and active‑duty Marines to Los Angeles to protect federal property, with Democrats warning of a dangerous precedent and some Republicans defending the president’s actions.
The dispute surfaced early in the hearing when Senator Tim Kaine said “The president's decision to deploy thousands of guardsmen and women to quell protests in Los Angeles without a request by the California governor ... is nearly unprecedented,” and later warned that deploying active‑duty forces for civilian protest response is “very, very dangerous.”
Why it matters: Democrats emphasized civil‑liberties risks and the potential erosion of the traditional balance between state governors and the federal executive over Guard activation. They said use of…
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