Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Vance Defends National Guard in Los Angeles and Misnames Sen. Padilla

State leaders are demanding answers from the White House over his misnaming of Sen. Padilla, coming on the heels of a court ruling upholding the Guard deployment.

Overview

  • During a June 20 press conference in Los Angeles, Vice President JD Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla as “Jose Padilla,” a week after Padilla was forcibly removed from a DHS briefing.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass condemned the incident as a deliberate slight and challenged Vance to explain his remarks in a public debate.
  • Vance defended President Trump’s deployment of roughly 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines, saying their presence was necessary to restore order during protests over ICE raids.
  • The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the federalization of the Guard was “likely legal,” allowing troops to remain in Los Angeles while California’s lawsuit proceeds.
  • Sen. Padilla urged the administration to prioritize community safety and immigrant rights, and activists have pressed for greater oversight of enforcement tactics.