President Trump wants applause. But what he got was a lawsuit.
After protests broke out in Los Angeles, Trump quickly sent in the National Guard. He claimed he saved the city. But when California leaders refused to praise him, he lost it.
On Monday, Trump told reporters, “If we didn’t do the job, that place would be burning down.” He later posted on Truth Social, writing, “We made a great decision in sending the National Guard.”
But what came next was not presidential. It was personal.
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Trump attacked California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. He mocked them, writing, “Gavin Newscum, and “Mayor,” Karen Bass, should be saying, “THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.”
That’s what Trump wanted — praise. But California had other plans.
Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. His team argued that Trump broke the rules by taking control of California’s National Guard without permission. They said it violated the 10th Amendment. It was a clear pushback against Trump’s power grab.
But Trump kept pushing the drama.
He told reporters that if border czar Tom Homan were in charge, Newsom would already be in handcuffs. “I would do it if I were Tom,” Trump said. “Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.”
“Newsom’s primary crime is running for governor since he’s done such a bad job,” Trump added.
Newsom did not back down. In an interview with NBC News, he said, “Come after me. Arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”
Later, on a podcast, Newsom warned the country that this is not just about Los Angeles. “This is a preview for things to come,” he said. “Donald Trump is unhinged right now.”
The protests in LA were large and emotionally charged. People flooded the streets, blocked roads, lit cars on fire, and clashed with police. Officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Self-driving Waymo vehicles were trashed. Tensions were high.
At Trump’s command, the first 300 National Guard members arrived on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Tom Homan, the man Trump praised, tried to walk back his earlier threat. On NBC, he said, “I never threatened to arrest Governor Newsom.” He claimed his words were taken out of context. But just a few days earlier, Homan had warned that Newsom and Mayor Bass could face charges for stopping ICE from deporting migrants. “You cross that line; it’s a felony,” he had said.
Then, Trump made a strange comparison to the 2020 Minneapolis protests.
He said the protests in Los Angeles reminded him of what happened in Minneapolis in 2020 after George Floyd was killed. He said that back then, people tried to be too careful, but now he thinks they are doing things the right way.
But sending troops into a U.S. city, mocking governors, and demanding praise does not sit well with many Americans. It spreads fear. It causes division. It shows a leader trying to control by creating chaos.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
