Donald Trump has long spoken of using military force to suppress protesters demonstrating against his policies and presidency. This week, Los Angeles gave him the chance.
After some protests against federal immigration sweeps grew chaotic, Trump overrode the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and activated the state's National Guard – a move former military leaders told the BBC was an escalation of Trump's previous pledges to use troops to quash protests and set a new precedent.
Combined with Trump's penchant for military optics – he has planned a military parade in Washington, DC on Saturday to mark the Army's 250th anniversary – the president's intervention in Los Angeles has raised fears that he is "politicizing the military," said Major General Randy Manner, US Army Retired.
"He escalated immediately for reasons that are only political reasons. They are not reasons that are justifiable," said General Manner, who served as the acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau.
But the Trump administration maintains it took over California's National Guard to restore order, and protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers as they conducted sweeps for undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles.
