Trump accused of using LA as ‘test case’ for powers as 700 Marines deployed

LocalPolitics
10 Jun 2025 • 4:44 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The Trump administration is deploying 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, armed with service weapons and authorized to act in self-defense, to address protests against federal immigration raids.
  • Local officials, including L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have criticized the deployment, with Bass accusing the White House of using the city as a "test case" and Newsom filing a lawsuit against the federal government.
  • The Marines will be equipped with gas masks and shields but forbidden from using tear gas or warning shots, and instructed to de-escalate conflicts.
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's threat to deploy troops reportedly blindsided local officials, and the Pentagon is working on clarifying rules for the Marines' use of force.
  • Legal experts, such as Elizabeth Goitein, raise concerns about the legal authority for the Marines to engage with civilians.

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