President Donald J. Trump took decisive action over the weekend, deploying the National Guard and additional federal assets to reclaim the streets of Los Angeles after the city descended into chaos during violent protests sparked by deportation operations targeting illegal immigrants.

Despite early efforts by local officials to downplay the severity of the situation, even the Los Angeles Police Department was forced to admit the reality: things were spiraling out of control. After two nights of escalating violence, looting, and street fires, LAPD declared the protests an “unlawful assembly” Sunday night, urging residents and business owners in the downtown area to remain vigilant.

“Agitators have splintered into and throughout the Downtown Area,” LAPD’s Central Division warned on X. “Officers are responding to several different locations to disperse crowds.”

While Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom insisted publicly that the city didn’t need outside help, his narrative quickly unraveled as footage of overwhelmed police officers and ICE agents flooded social media, along with video of radical protesters waving foreign flags and attacking federal property.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt laid the blame squarely at Newsom’s feet, calling him “too weak” to protect Californians and federal law enforcement from violent extremists.

“Federal law enforcement officers were attacked by violent radicals and illegal criminals waving foreign flags because Governor Newsom was too weak to protect the city,” Leavitt stated. “President Trump has stepped in to maintain law and order and protect federal buildings.”

Trump federalized 2,000 National Guard troops, dispatching them to Los Angeles on Sunday, where they were quickly joined by an additional 700 U.S. Marines trained in de-escalation and riot control. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the mission was to support peaceful demonstrators while securing federal infrastructure and backing up overwhelmed local police.

Yet instead of welcoming help, Governor Newsom doubled down on political grandstanding. He accused Trump of being “unhinged” and claimed the president's deployment of troops was illegal — a claim with no constitutional basis, given the president’s clear authority under the Insurrection Act and National Emergencies Act to respond to domestic unrest.

“This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted,” Newsom wrote on X. “He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard.”

The governor has vowed to sue, but constitutional scholars note Trump’s actions fall well within the powers of the presidency, especially amid coordinated, violent efforts to resist federal law enforcement.

President Trump didn’t mince words when asked about Newsom’s escalating rhetoric. When Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked whether border czar Tom Homan should accept Newsom’s MSNBC challenge and arrest the governor for harboring illegal aliens, Trump didn’t hold back.

“I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” Trump said. “Gavin likes the publicity. I like Gavin Newsom. He is a nice guy, but he’s grossly incompetent. Everybody knows [that]. All you have to do is look at the little railroad he is building. It’s about 100 times over budget.”

With the streets of Los Angeles now under tight federal control, and violent actors facing arrest, President Trump has once again proven he is unafraid to do what’s necessary to uphold the rule of law—even when radical leftist politicians refuse to do it themselves.