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6h ago

Pentagon Begins Withdrawing 2,000 California Guardsmen From Los Angeles Deployment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said subsiding unrest justified a partial pullback, leaving 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines in place as California’s legal challenge moves forward.

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Members of the California National Guard stand by as thousands participate in the No Kings demonstration in downtown Los Angeles on June 14, 2025.
A demonstrator raises his hand holding flowers as members of the National Guard stand in formation outside a federal building during the No Kings protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo

Overview

  • Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered 2,000 soldiers from the California National Guard’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team released from Title 10 duty in Los Angeles, citing improving security.
  • The drawdown halves a federal deployment that in early June sent about 4,000 Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines to protect federal buildings after ICE raids sparked protests.
  • Remaining forces continue perimeter security for federal operations, with troops authorized only to detain suspects until law enforcement arrives.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass have criticized the mission’s impact on wildfire and counterdrug duties and urged a full withdrawal.
  • A three-judge appeals panel upheld the president’s authority to federalize the Guard without gubernatorial consent, but California’s lawsuit over state sovereignty is still pending.