Pentagon Orders 1,350 National Guard Members to Vacate LA After Series of Protests

In a massive de-escalation, the Pentagon has commanded over 1,000 members of the National Guard to vacate Los Angeles. The decision follows a series of immigration enforcement demonstrations that necessitated a heightened federal presence. Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, undersigned an order on Wednesday to call back about 1,350 Californian National Guard personnel. These troops had the responsibility to ensure the safety of federal establishments and workforce amidst the escalating public chaos induced by recent immigration incursions.

The Wilshire Federal Building’s security in Westwood is to be handed over from the National Guard to U.S. Marines on the 13th of June, 2025. ‘Just yesterday, Secretary Hegseth authorized the discharge of roughly 1,350 Californian National Guard members from their federal defense duty,’ announced chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. He continued, ‘Approximately 250 National Guard members still remain in Los Angeles, their duty being to protect federal assets and staff.’

In expressing gratitude towards this military force, Parnell lauded the efforts of the more than 5,000 National Guardsmen and Marines who vouched for Los Angeles’s safety against the city’s relentless lawlessness by stepping up. This act is particularly emphasized, considering the series of escalated events that unfolded at the federal establishments around the city.

The reduction of military deployment was appreciated by Governor Gavin Newsom who further urged President Donald Trump to send the remaining troops back home. Newsom criticized Trump’s apparent bid at dramatic military tactics, saying that it had backfired. Claiming the militarization was counterproductive and highly unpopular from the get-go, Newsom implored that the President rectify the situation by winding up the alleged illegal militarization without delay.

He stressed the importance of a quick resolution because the socioeconomic toll it was taking was rather dire with every passing day. Newsom further voiced his support for the military stating that they deserve more respect as compared to just being publicity pawns in a government propaganda spree. His insistence on marking an end to the deployment signifies his opposition to the utilization of the military beyond their designated role.

Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles and another vocal opponent of the deployment decision, hailed the Pentagon’s choice to reduce the deployed troops. In her words, this appeared to be ‘another victory for Los Angeles.’ She emphasized that they would persist with their persuasion efforts until every last troop leaves their city.

This decision by the Pentagon succeeds a previous de-escalation where almost 2,000 National Guard members from California and about 700 active-duty personnel from the U.S. Marines were called back from the region. June saw a rise in the activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles and the larger county, which led to a loud public outcry triggering protests and a bitter clash with ICE officials.

Retaliation from President Trump followed in the form of assigning 2,000 California National Guard members under federal control and dispatching them to Los Angeles with the explicit responsibility of safeguarding federal properties. Subsequently, an additional force of 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines too were summoned to the scene, magnifying the scope of the deployment.

Governor Newsom, Mayor Bass, and a handful of other Democratic leaders from the region vociferously criticized the presidential enactment, classifying it as an unnecessary and excessive militarization of the immigration enforcement drive. The group including Newsom, and California’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, raised a legal challenge questioning the legitimacy of turning the National Guard into a federal entity.

However, the lawsuit landed in favor of the Trump administration when a judge passed his ruling on the case. Based on data provided by the Pentagon, it is approximated that the cost of deploying the military force to Los Angeles in this ongoing saga is likely to be around $134 million.