Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday declined to say if he will comply with any judicial order blocking President Donald Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles, Politico reported.
"What I can say is we should not have local judges determining foreign policy or national security policy for the country," Hegseth told lawmakers at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.
Hegseth also this week defended his decision to order troops to provide security during federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, telling senators it's about "maintaining law and order."
"The mission in Los Angeles, as you know well, sir, is not about lethality," Hegseth said in response to questions Wednesday during a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal 2026. "It's about maintaining law and order on behalf of law enforcement agents who deserve to do their job without being attacked by mobs of people."
California will face off with the Trump administration in court on Thursday over the deployment of U.S. troops in Los Angeles after demonstrators again took to the streets in major cities to protest President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
Some 700 U.S. Marines will be on LA's streets by Thursday or Friday, the military said, to support up to 4,000 National Guard troops in protecting federal property and federal agents, including on immigration raids.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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