Elon Musk and Donald J. Trump in better times -- three months ago -- as the president buys a Tesla Model S. [White House photo] Read comments on the Trump-Musk breakup in the left and right columns, and in The Gray Area where Pundit-at-Large Stephen Macaulay weighs in. Email your comments to editors@thehustings.news.

TUESDAY 6/10/25

Marines Invade L.A. – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has deployed 700 US Marines to Los Angeles to suppress protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in search of undocumented aliens at local businesses, the Los Angeles Times reports, while the White House has sent an additional 2,000 National Guard troops there (AP). The confrontation is a clash between President Trump as he flexes authoritarian powers, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats. 

As deployment of the Marines and National Guard make for good video on Fox News, Trump administration critics are comparing his reaction here to his reluctance to deploy the National Guard to the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. Guard troops arrived about 5:40 p.m. that day, after most of the crowd had dispersed, according to FactCheck.org.

Marines and the National Guard are in L.A. ostensibly to protect federal buildings and ICE officials from potentially “violent” protestors despite that the city has nearly 7,000 uniformed Los Angeles Police Department officers, according to The Atlantic Daily. There are 75,000 uniformed personnel in California’s state, county and local law enforcement agencies.

Mayor Bass called deployment of the Marines and National Guard a “deliberate attempt” by the Trump administration to “create disorder and chaos in our city,” The Associated Press reports. 

Trump said on social media Tuesday morning that L.A. would “burn to the ground” without the troops, NPR reports. 

Gov. Newsom responded to Trump administration’s threats to have him arrested along with Bass in an interview with Politicosaying, “It’s just an extraordinary moment, and I don’t want to overstate it, but these are the words of an authoritarian. Whether he acts on it or not, the chill that creates is real, and it’s a serious moment, very serious.”

On Friday, David Huerta, described as the “beloved” president of Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, was arrested at a worksite where he was reportedly serving as a community observer, Axios reports, and now faces potential federal charges.

--TL

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MONDAY 6/9/25

Newsom Sues Trump – California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) says he will sue the Trump administration over the president’s deployment of the National Guard to suppress protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids, The Hill reports Monday. Trump said in a memo to the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security he is invoking Title 10 to “temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions,” according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Under Title 10, the president can activate National Guard troops for federal services, such as ICE – the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Friday, ICE agents made arrests in L.A.’s garment district, including Ambiance Apparel, and detained employees inside the clothing wholesaler, the LA Times reports. This triggered protests through the weekend, which prompted the Trump White House to deploy National Guard troops into downtown Los Angeles. Trump’s memo cited “numerous incidents of violence and disorder” and said federal immigration detention facilities have been threatened.

Management? ... While undocumented workers at Ambiance Apparel apparently have been arrested, there are no reports so far of any arrests regarding employers who allegedly hired said employees.

Call in the Marines? … Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned in a post on X-Twitter that “if violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized – they are on high alert.”

No easy resolution … This clash could be from the elevator pitch for the Hollywood script of a story about a president who is cracking down on illegal immigrants, as he had promised in his campaign, and the “woke” governor who almost certainly will run for president in 2028, climaxing with the White House calling in the Marines.

On MSNBC Sunday night, Newsom told NBC News’ Jacob Soboroff that Trump “has created the crisis. Fox News on Monday reports a conservative social media backlash against Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), a native of Guatemala who became a US citizen in the 1990s, after she posted on TikTok, “ICE get the f--- out of LA so that order can be restored.” --Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa