() Vice President JD Vance visited Los Angeles on Friday afternoon amid tensions with that city’s leaders and California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the Trump administration’s handling of immigration enforcement and its response to local unrest.
Protests and riots erupted June 6 in LA after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted sweeping workplace raids to apprehend migrants in the U.S. illegally. As the conflict dragged on, President Trump federalized the California National Guard and ordered U.S. Marines to help keep the peace. Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass accused Trump of inflaming tensions and usurping local control.
Vance’s office said the vice president “will tour a multi-agency Federal Joint Operations Center, a Federal Mobile Command Center, meet with leadership and Marines, and deliver brief remarks.” Vance, a former Marine, was expected to speak at 4 p.m. local time.
Newsom, a Democrat, has legally challenged Trump’s control of the National Guard, but a federal appeals court Thursday sided with the Republican president. Trump celebrated the decision on his Truth Social platform, calling it a “BIG WIN.”
Newsom’s office said it was not looped in on Vance’s visit Friday.
“The Governor would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Vice President in service to Californians. We’re always open to working together which makes it all the more disappointing that the White House chose not to engage with us directly ahead of the visit. We have yet to be officially notified that the Vice President is even coming,” a spokesperson said.
The protests in LA and surrounding communities have been winding down in recent days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
