US President Donald Trump confirmed that his decision to send military personnel from the Marine Corps and the National Guard to Los Angeles prevented the city from “burning completely” amid protests against a crackdown on immigration.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “If I hadn’t sent troops to Los Angeles over the past three nights, this beautiful and great city would now be burning completely,” comparing the threat posed by protests to the widespread wildfires that devastated entire neighborhoods months ago.
Earlier, the US Department of Defense announced that Trump had ordered an additional 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles to address the ongoing protests against his measures to combat illegal immigration.
The US Army also confirmed that it would send 700 Marines to Los Angeles to assist in protecting federal personnel and property.
In a statement from the Army, the goal of sending Marine forces is “to provide Task Force 51 with enough troops to ensure continuous coverage of the area.”
