A video circulating on social media showed a helicopter, resembling the Marine chopper, flying over Los Angeles as citywide anti-ICE protests continued on Monday. However, neither President Donald Trump nor the White House have confirmed if the force was deployed. National Guard troops were deployed in LA over the weekend.
This comes as CNN cited three sources to report that roughly 500 Marines based out of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California have been mobilized to respond to the protests. The publication further added that the Marines will join the National Guard troops.
Read More: Los Angeles protests: California governor Newsom to sue Trump admin over National Guard deployment
ABC News cited an official to report a much higher number. The network reported that 700 marines have been ordered to assist in Los Angeles and they’re expected to arrive over the next 24 hours. The media outlet said that the Marines are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California, who US Northern Command had said Sunday were on a 'prepared to deploy status'.
{{/usCountry}}ABC News cited an official to report a much higher number. The network reported that 700 marines have been ordered to assist in Los Angeles and they’re expected to arrive over the next 24 hours. The media outlet said that the Marines are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California, who US Northern Command had said Sunday were on a 'prepared to deploy status'.
{{/usCountry}}President Donald Trump was meanwhile asked if he planned on sending Marines to LA. "We'll see what happens. I mean, I think we have it very well under control. I think it would have been a very bad situation. It was heading in the wrong direction. It's now heading in the right direction,” he said on Monday.
California officials urged Trump on Monday to roll back the administration's National Guard deployment. Gov. Gavin Newsom called the presence of troops on the streets of Los Angeles both ‘illegal and immoral’.
US officials said about 1,000 National Guard members were in LA under federal orders. The full 2,000 members authorized by Trump were expected to be on the ground by the end of the day.
“Rescind the order. Return control to California,” Newsom wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
With inputs from Reuters