Pentagon Chief Suggests National Guard Could Go to Other States If Riots Spread

Federal government ‘would have the capability to surge National Guard’ if riots spread outside of Los Angeles, he says.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on June 11 that National Guard troop deployments could extend to other states beyond California, amid riots in Los Angeles against immigration enforcement.

Speaking to a Senate panel, Hegseth said that if riots occur in other places, the federal government may send troops there.

“Part of it was about getting ahead of the problem, so that if in other places, if there are other riots, in places where law enforcement officers are threatened, we would have the capability to surge National Guard there, if necessary,” the Pentagon chief said, responding to a question from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Hegseth told the lawmakers, “Thankfully, in most of those states, you’d have a governor that recognizes the need for it, supports it, and mobilizes it, him- or herself.”

Over the past weekend, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to violent protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. On June 9, U.S. military officials confirmed that 700 Marines would be sent to Los Angeles alongside the National Guard deployment.

The decisions brought criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other Democrats in the state, accusing Trump of exceeding his authority and attempting to inflame tensions in Los Angeles.

California’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on June 10 to end the troop deployment. A federal judge denied the request on the evening of June 10 and set a hearing for June 12.

Demonstrations and unrest have spread to other cities around the United States, including New York City, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Police detained more than 80 people during protests in lower Manhattan’s Foley Square on the evening of June 10 and early on June 11. Arrests were also made in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver, police departments say.

New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said most of the demonstrators were peaceful and that just a few caused the disorder that required police intervention.

“We want to maintain everyone’s right to protest peacefully in this city and in this country, but we will not tolerate chaos and disorder or violence,” Tisch said on the morning of June 11 during an appearance on Fox 5 New York.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on social media that an unspecified number of National Guard troops “will be deployed to locations across the state to ensure peace [and] order.”

“Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest,” the governor wrote.

On social media, messages have been shared to hold more demonstrations in other cities, with some referring to them as “No Kings” events.

“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” the NoKings.org website reads.

An Epoch Times review of the website’s page metadata shows that it was created sometime in early May. An earlier version called for protests on June 14, which is Trump’s birthday and also Flag Day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.