Top Democrats in Connecticut on Tuesday said President Donald Trump should not have gotten the federal government involved in California’s immigration protests.
Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles without a request from Governor Gavin Newsom (D). Some Democrats, like Attorney General William Tong, have billed that as purposely inflammatory.
“The President has packed a powder keg in Los Angeles, and there's an extreme risk of a broader explosion of violence and harm to the people of Los Angeles and California,” Tong said. “He has created an unreasonable risk to public safety.”
Tong, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz (D-CT) repeatedly condemned violent and destructive protesters.
They also said state police will act quickly to quell potentially dangerous protests to make sure the president has no reason to get federal troops involved in CT.
“If we see a potential disturbance, say, on an overpass over a highway that could be potentially dangerous, we go in and with respect, say, this is not the way to protest,” Lamont said. “I don't want to give the president any pretext to think he can come into Connecticut and militarize the situation.”
On social media, Trump said if he hadn’t sent the troops, “Los Angeles would be burning right now.”
Trump also said he’s willing to invoke the Insurrection Act if he deems it necessary.
“There are certain areas of Los Angeles last night that you could have called an insurrection,” Trump said. “It was terrible.”
Connecticut State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield) defended the President’s use of federal troops.
“Police, the National Guard, and law enforcement of all sectors should have the ability to protect the general citizenry and property in California and throughout the country. I thank them.” Harding’s statement reads in part.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a military presence would remain in LA for 60 days.
