The controversial decision by former President Donald Trump to deploy federal troops to Los Angeles has drawn sharp condemnation from local leaders, civil rights groups, and political analysts, many of whom argue that the move is less about restoring order and more about manufacturing crisis to feed his political strategy.
The deployment, which Trump announced during a rally in Arizona over the weekend, follows a week of escalating demonstrations in Southern California. Protesters have rallied against the recent Supreme Court ruling on voting access, police brutality, and immigration raids — issues that have inflamed public tensions in recent months.
Trump framed the decision as a necessary step to “bring law and order back to the streets of Los Angeles,” but Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass pushed back immediately. “There was no request for federal intervention. This is political theater, not public safety,” said Bass in a press conference Monday.
Gov. Newsom and LA Mayor Bass say he is putting public safety at risk by adding military personnel, even though the police have said they neither want nor need their help.
Newsom called the deployments reckless and “disrespectful to our troops,” adding,
“This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego.”
Critics argue that Trump’s move fits a well-worn pattern: inciting unrest and then inserting himself into the center of the chaos.
“Trump doesn’t respond to chaos — he manufactures it,” said Dr. Renée Castillo, a political scientist at UCLA. “Time and again, we’ve seen him sow division, escalate conflict, and then present himself as the strongman savior. It’s not just a strategy. It’s the only environment in which he truly thrives.”
The images of troops patrolling LA’s streets have been met with outrage from civil rights organizations. The ACLU issued a statement calling the deployment a “clear abuse of power designed to intimidate and provoke, not protect.”
This is not the first time Trump has deployed troops to American cities under the guise of security. In 2020, his use of federal agents in Portland and Washington, D.C. drew similar backlash, with watchdogs warning of authoritarian overreach.
Trump’s campaign team, however, insists that the move is justified. “The radical left has turned Los Angeles into a war zone,” said Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung. “President Trump is stepping in where Democrats have failed.”
But video footage circulating on social media paints a different picture: peaceful protesters being pushed back with tear gas, military vehicles patrolling residential neighborhoods, and confusion among residents who say the presence of troops is escalating tensions, not calming them.
Political strategist Tara McClintock says Trump’s motives are clear. “Trump understands one thing better than anyone: chaos benefits him. It silences moderation, it disorients the media, and it gives him a stage. This isn’t about law and order. It’s about setting the stage for his comeback narrative.”