Adam Smith, the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, expressed grave concerns that President Trump is attempting to transform the U.S. military into his “personal police force.”
Speaking on Morning Edition, Smith elaborated, stating his fear that Trump desires this confrontation not solely for immigration enforcement, but more disturbingly, to politicize the military and normalize its use as a law enforcement agency – a move he deems “incredibly dangerous.”
This apprehension comes on the heels of contentious events in Los Angeles. Last week and through the weekend, Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations led to the detention and arrest of over 100 individuals citywide. These raids ignited widespread protests, where demonstrators clashed with police, who responded with pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
Further escalating tensions, Trump on Saturday signed an order to deploy 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles, conspicuously bypassing the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
In direct response, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging violations of both a federal statute regarding National Guard deployment over gubernatorial objections and the 10th Amendment, which safeguards states’ rights.
Governor Newsom characterized the administration’s actions as a “blatant abuse of power,” a sentiment echoed by Smith.
Smith warned that the President has engineered an “incredibly dangerous situation with the risk of even further escalation.”
Despite a decrease in protest intensity on Monday, Trump authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops that same night, mere hours after the Pentagon had already dispatched 700 Marines to the city.
