The Secretary of Defense, HegSeth, defended the deployment of 4,800 members of the national guard and the navies in Los Angeles during his first testimony of the Congress since his care of the Pentagon.
The Minnesota Betty McCollum representative, the best democrat of the chamber’s credits for the chamber, insisted that the Marines are not trained for an interior mission.
“All the field units have been fully formed,” said Hegseth.
Members of the California National Guard stand watch outside the Edward R. Roybal federal building on the morning of June 10, 2025, after another day of protests in response to federal immigration operations in Los Angeles.
Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP via Getty Images
Through Capitol Hill, General Eric Smith, the commander of the Marine Corps, said that the 700 navies sent to Los Angeles are trained in the control of the crowds and will provide support for the police in the protection of federal goods.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, expressed his doubts towards Smith as to the use of units formed in combat by saying that he had concerns and was “deeply worried” that their deployment increases the risk of deadly force possibly used.
“As Marines, senator, I would say that all the navies are trained in the control of crowds, to strengthen the embassy, etc. So that is part of their training. Of course, all the Marines are trained in the control of the crowds, SIR, the standard marine shipping unit before their deployment is formed, and this battalion was ready for that,” replied Smith.
