A former vice chief of the National Guard called Donald Trump's deployment of guard forces to Los Angeles "bad for all Americans."
“The president's federal deployment of the National Guard over the official wishes of a governor is bad for all Americans concerned about freedom of speech and states' rights," retired Major General Randy Manner said in a statement to Fox News on Sunday.
"The governor has the authority and ability to respond to the civil disturbances with law enforcement capabilities within his state, augmented as necessary by requesting law enforcement assistance from other governors," Manner said. "There are over a million badged and trained members of law enforcement in this country for the governor to ask for help if he needs it. While this is presently a legal order, it tramples the governor’s rights and obligations to protect his people. This is an inappropriate use of the National Guard and is not warranted.”
Amid the protests of ICE raids in Los Angeles, Trump federalized the California National Guard on June 7. Since then, 2,000 members of the guard have been called into service, answering to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — and over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has announced legal action in opposition to the deployment. Trump declared an "invasion" of Los Angeles on Sunday in a bid to legitimize his take over of the guard.
Manner, a critic of Trump, spoke to the Senate Judiciary Committee last December, highlighting the harm of using military personnel in deportations. "The armed forces exist to defend the country," Manner said to the committee, "not to police its citizens or to enforce controversial and politically-charged immigration policies."
