Amid ongoing protests in response to ICE raids and arrests in Los Angeles, 700 Marines in California have been ordered to assist, and they’re expected to arrive over the next 24 hours, a U.S. official confirmed.
The Marines are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California, whom U.S. Northern Command had said Sunday were on a “prepared to deploy status” if the Defense Department needed them.
Minutes before the Marines’ deployment was confirmed, President Donald Trump was asked by ABC News if he planned on sending Marines to LA, and he said, “We’ll see what happens.”
“I mean, I think we have it very well under control,” Trump said. “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.” -ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Karen Travers
National Guard is armed but no bullets in chamber
The National Guardsmen on active duty in Los Angeles are carrying weapons but don’t have rounds in the chamber, and they aren’t using rubber bullets or pepper spray, according to a U.S. official.
The Rules of Force that they are operating under call for them to de-escalate any incidents as much as possible, two U.S. officials said. They also have the right to self-defense.
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