California's Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a stand against what has been termed President Trump's "illegal militarization" of Los Angeles by filing a Freedom of Information Act request. The goal: to shine a light on the taxpayer dollars that have funded the controversial move. According to official statements, Newsom's office is seeking a full accounting of expenses since June 7, which includes activating U.S. Marines and federalizing the National Guard. Existing figures from the Department of Defense point to a potential $134 million expenditure for these military actions.
Amidst ongoing demands to release the remaining California National Guard soldiers, who are still confined at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos after nearly two months, Governor Newsom has escalated efforts to counter what he deems Trump's "political theater." The situation's economic repercussions ripple through California's private sector work attendance has nosedived by 3.1%, mirroring the unsettling effects once only wrought by the global pandemic COVID-19. A federal court is set to deliberate in the upcoming Newsom v. Trump trial, reviewing the legality of the troops' actions within Southern California.
Governor Newsom's recent engagements with various community pillars – from local restaurant owners in the City of Bell to faith leaders in Downey – have brought forward discussions on the economic toll of the Trump administration's global tariffs and broad immigration raids. A grim forecast by UCLA Anderson projects a potential contraction of California's economy. The swathe cut by mass arrests, detentions, and deportations could amount to a staggering $275 billion economic loss for the state, as noted by the Governor's Office.
While the bulk of the National Guard members have since demobilized, the reality remains that communities continue to reel from the absence of essential workers, first responders, service worker,s building trades contractors, and educators, amongst others. According to the Governor's Office, this drawn-out federalization of National Guard troops, championed by Trump, has led to bipartisan criticism. Notably, a cadre of 25 former governors and an assembly of esteemed military veterans have presented briefs condemning the federal overreach and advocating for the preservation of state sovereignty.
