Donald Trump Weighs In on ‘Civil War’ Concerns

On Monday, President Donald Trump was asked about Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom’s remarks that his Republican administration wants “civil war on the streets” amid ongoing protests against raids by Los Angeles Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The president was asked by a reporter, “What do you make of the fact that [Newsom] says you want a civil war?”

Trump responded, “No, it’s the opposite. I don’t want a civil war. Civil war would happen if you left it to people like him.”

Why It Matters

Protests erupted Friday over federal immigration enforcement action in the California city, which is home to large migrant communities. The Trump administration has argued that cities and states that have sanctuary laws, like L.A. and California, impede agents from doing their job. Following the protests, the president authorized the deployment of National Guard troops.

What To Know

Newsom told Fox 11 Los Angeles that Trump had taken an “illegal, unconstitutional act in federalizing the National Guard,” which was putting lives at risk.

The governor also said that he had spoken with Trump in recent days and that the president had not wanted to engage in conversations around what was taking place in Los Angeles. He also said there had been no request from local leaders for federal aid.

“He’s exacerbated the conditions. These are images that Donald Trump created,” Newsom said, adding that nobody could negotiate with the president.

The governor was asked about Trump’s claim that he had told Newsom that if he did not get things under control, then the National Guard would be sent in. Newsom said Trump was a “stone-cold liar” who had not said that.

“He’s not for peacemaking, he’s here for civil war on the streets,” Newsom said.

Trump was asked about this during a briefing Monday afternoon, with the president saying he wanted the opposite.

Legal analysts told Newsweekthat Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard was within his powers and that Newsom’s potential challenge to this would likely face an uphill battle, but that it did mark a significant shift in the standoff between sanctuary jurisdictions and the federal government.

What People Are Saying

Michael McAuliffe, a former federal prosecutor and former elected state attorney, told Newsweek: “The mobilization of troops for domestic crowd control should remain the rarest of events and only in the most utterly extreme circumstances. The current protest in California against the ICE/federal immigration arrest spree is not one of those instances. The President’s action likely will be counter-productive and actually raise tensions, instead of gaining better control of the situation.”

Representative Kevin Kiley, a California Republican, told Newsweek on Monday: “The acts of violence, lawlessness, and obstruction we are seeing in Los Angeles pose an ongoing risk to public safety. The President has chosen to protect federal officers and LA citizens because Governor Newsom has refused to do so. I am praying for everyone’s safety during this time.”

Conservative legal analyst Jonathan Turley wrote in a Fox News column: “Section 12406 grants Trump the authority to call out the Guard and employs a mandatory term for governors, who “shall” issue the president’s order. In the memo, Trump also instructed federal officials ‘to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau.’ Newsom is clearly refusing to issue the orders or coordinate the deployment. Even if such challenges are successful, Trump can clearly flood the zone with federal authority. Indeed, the obstruction could escalate the matter further, prompting Trump to consider using the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to participate directly in civilian law enforcement.”

What’s Next

The U.S. Attorney for Central California, Bill Essayli, said Monday that more troops may be sent to Los Angeles in the coming days.

Update 06/09/25 5:03 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.