In response to Donald Trump deploying the Marines to suppress protests in California, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Donald Trump is enacting his campaign of revenge and retribution, deploying the United States Marines to a state at the objection of its governor — for the first time in about sixty years — purely for his own political games. Trump’s extreme, unprecedented escalation is an abuse of power. Our military has a responsibility to keep our nation safe, but Trump is instead using service members as pawns to suppress what he sees as his political opponents. 

“Trump’s dangerous move has nothing to do with law and order — he is desperate to look strong as more and more Americans become enraged by the Republican plot to take health care and food assistance away from millions to make the rich richer. This isn’t the first time Trump has tried to use the military for his political agenda — it’s straight out of his ‘wannabe dictator’ playbook.”

Donald Trump took an unprecedented action on Saturday, calling up National Guard troops to quell protests in California, bypassing the authority of Governor Gavin Newsom. 

Washington Post: “President Donald Trump’s order to deploy 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles appears unprecedented, relying on an unorthodox use of a law aimed at quelling serious domestic unrest or an attack on the United States by a foreign power, some legal experts said Sunday.

“It marks the first time in about 60 years that an American president has taken such action without a governor’s consent. Furthermore, his executive order authorizes the Pentagon to dispatch military personnel domestically to enable federal functions and protect government property — a chilling sign, the experts said, that Trump is prepared to send troops into other cities in response to protests.” 

Politico: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Donald Trump’s threats against him and other Democrats following the president’s unilateral deployment of National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area carried all the markings of authoritarianism. …

“Trump and his border czar have targeted Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass by name with threats of arrests — and other ominous unspecified acts to be carried out by the federal government if the two don’t fall in line. …

“California on Monday sued the Trump administration for authorizing the deployment against their will. The president and aides portrayed the move as just the start of potentially escalated action, including sending hundreds of U.S. Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton.”

REMINDER: This isn’t the first time Trump tried to use the military to suppress political speech that he disagreed with. 

NPR: “Former Pentagon chief Esper says Trump asked about shooting protesters”

“Former Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said President Donald Trump inquired about shooting protesters amid the unrest that took place after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. …

“Esper said he stayed in the administration because he worried that if he left, the president would more easily implement some of his ‘dangerous ideas.’ … 

“Esper said he and other top officials were caught off guard by Trump’s reaction to the unrest in the summer of 2020.”