By Frank Stoltze for LAist
Originally published July 21, 2025
The Pentagon says 700 U.S. Marines sent to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump during immigration protests more than a month ago will be withdrawn as soon as Tuesday.
The departure of the Marines follows the withdrawal of half of the nearly 4,000 National Guard troops Trump also deployed to Los Angeles.
Backstory: Trump argued the Marines were needed to address protests over immigration raids. Local political and law enforcement leaders denounced the deployment, saying the show of force was not needed and only inflamed tensions. The members of the military ended up guarding federal buildings in downtown L.A. and Westwood.
Pentagon spokesperson: Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Sean Parnell said the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, ordered the “redeployment” of the Marines and said their presence had sent a message that “lawlessness will not be tolerated.” “Their rapid response, unwavering discipline and unmistakable presence were instrumental in restoring order and upholding the rule of law,” Parnell said.
Responses from local officials: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called the withdrawal of the Marines “another win for Los Angeles” and “a win for those serving this country in uniform.” She called the deployment an “unnecessary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional assault on our city.”
L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis said the withdrawal was long overdue: “There is no place for a militarized presence in our communities — especially when residents are peacefully demonstrating and exercising their constitutional rights. These are armed service members trained for the battlefield, not for deployment among civilians.”
This report is reprinted with permission from Southern California Public Radio. © 2024 Southern California Public Radio. All rights reserved.
