Protection Secretary Hegseth defended the deployment of 4,800 Nationwide Guard personnel and Marines to Los Angeles in his first congressional testimony since taking up the Pentagon.
Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota, the highest Democrat on the Home Appropriations Protection Subcommittee, insisted the Marines aren’t educated for a home mission.
“All the items on the bottom have been absolutely educated,” Hegseth mentioned.
Members of the California Nationwide Guard stand watch outdoors the Edward R. Roybal Federal Constructing on the morning of June 10, 2025, following one other day of protests in response to federal immigration operations in Los Angeles.
Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP through Getty Photos
Throughout Capitol Hill, Gen. Eric Smith, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, mentioned that the 700 Marines being despatched to Los Angeles are educated in crowd management and might be offering assist to legislation enforcement in defending federal property.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, expressed his doubts to Smith about using combat-trained items domestically saying he had considerations and was “deeply nervous” that their deployment elevated the danger of deadly drive presumably getting used.
“As Marines, senator, I might say that every one Marines are educated in crowd management, embassy reinforcement, and so on. So that is a part of their coaching. Positive, all Marines are educated in crowd management, sir, the usual Marine Expeditionary Unit earlier than they deploy is educated, and this battalion was prepared for that,” Smith responded.
