‘Absolutely horrible job’: Trump slams Newsom, Bass over Los Angeles riots

The protests began after a series of ICE raids in Los Angeles led to the arrest of numerous undocumented immigrants.

Published on: Jun 9, 2025, 14:24:10 IST

By HT News Desk

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US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of doing an "absolutely horrible job" in handling the unrest in Los Angeles.

Governor Newsom took to X, accusing Trump of escalating the crisis by deploying federal troops without the state's approval. (AFP)

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Governor Gavin Newsom and 'Mayor' Bass should apologise to the people of Los Angeles for the horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots. These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!"

In response, Governor Newsom took to X, accusing Trump of escalating the crisis by deploying federal troops without the state's approval. "Let’s be clear: Local law enforcement did not require assistance. Yet, Trump sent troops anyway—with the intent to create chaos and violence. He succeeded. Now, the situation is destabilized, and additional law enforcement is needed to clean up the mess he caused," Newsom wrote.

Follow live updates on Los Angeles protests

The Governor's remarks come amid an ongoing national debate over the federal government’s involvement in state-level law enforcement. Newsom accused Trump of aggravating tensions rather than helping to restore order, calling the troop deployment "purposefully inflammatory."

According to Reuters, the National Guard deployment was ordered by the White House to address growing protests in Los Angeles sparked by President Trump’s recent immigration crackdown. Demonstrations have intensified over the past three days, with protesters clashing with federal agents in several parts of the city.

Trump, meanwhile, called for aggressive federal intervention. In a statement on X, he claimed, "violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations," pledging to crush what he termed as “lawless riots.” He further announced that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi would lead coordinated efforts to “liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion” and end the unrest.

(With ANI Inputs)

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