Los Angeles residents and experts say that the National Guard's presence in Los Angeles in response to immigration protests is reminiscent of a longstanding dynamic in the state and around the country.

For months during the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump promised to use the military domestically. His campaign telegraphed it via news coverage and reports from friendly nonprofits; Trump mused about using soldiers against protests.

President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guards troops to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles, overriding California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections in a rare move.