US politics live: Trump deploys 2000 National Guard troops over LA immigration protests

National Guard troops have started arriving in Los Angeles after Donald Trump deployed thousands to the city over immigration protests. Follow live.

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US President Donald Trump has deployed 2000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles amid clashes between federal agents and protesters angry over immigration enforcement raids with the first troops arriving Sunday morning local time (overnight Sunday, Australian time).

“Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest,” the President wrote on his social media platform Truth Social late on Saturday.

But despite Mr Trump’s praise, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said the troops had not arrived yet.

“Just to be clear, the National Guard has not been deployed in the City of Los Angeles,” she wrote on X after Mr Trump’s post.

New video from ABC 7 in Los Angeles shows vehicles stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to City Hall in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday (overnight in Australia), hours after parts of the neighbourhood erupted in riots in response to ICE raids on Friday.

Law enforcement clashes with demonstrators during a protest in the Compton neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California on June 7, 2025. Picture: Ringo Chiu / AFP

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier announced: “President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.

“The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for criminal behaviour and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs.”

Los Angeles County Sheriffs stand at their positions as law enforcement clash with demonstrators. Picture: Ringo Chiu / AFP

About an hour before the White House confirmed the deployment, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he opposed the move.

“That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” he said on social media platform X. “We are in close co-ordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.”

The governor also slammed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as showing “deranged behaviour” over his threat to deploy US Marines to the city “if violence continues”.

Meanwhile, President Trump officially confirmed his relationship with Elon Musk is over.

It comes after days of nasty comments and threats exchanged between the two billionaires.

When asked overnight if he thought the pair’s close relationship had ended, the president told NBC News, “I would assume so, yeah.”

And when probed as to whether he’d want to mend things, Mr Trump simply said, “No”.

Read on for the latest updates.