Pentagon Pulling 700 Marines Off LA Protest Response Mission

Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The Pentagon is continuing to wind down its troop deployment to Los Angeles, now withdrawing around 700 U.S. Marines who deployed to the California city last month in response to civil unrest.

President Donald Trump ordered the Marines to deploy to the city in June, along with 4,000 National Guard troops, following protests and riots against federal immigration enforcement operations.

In a press statement shared with The Epoch Times on July 22, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the unrest had subsided enough that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth could order the Marines to withdraw.

“With stability returning to Los Angeles, the secretary has directed the redeployment of the 700 Marines whose presence sent a clear message: lawlessness will not be tolerated,” Parnell said.

“Their rapid response, unwavering discipline, and unmistakable presence were instrumental in restoring order and upholding the rule of law. We’re deeply grateful for their service, and for the strength and professionalism they brought to this mission.”

The Marines who deployed to Los Angeles last month are assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, based out of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California.

Last week, the Pentagon announced that approximately half of the 4,000 National Guard troops it had deployed to Los Angeles were also pulling back from the mission.

About 2,000 National Guard troops continue to guard federal buildings and personnel in the city.

The Los Angeles troop deployment elicited criticism from Democrat leaders at the state and local level.

In June, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, requested a temporary restraining order halting the federal troop deployment.

Newsom argued that Trump had improperly bypassed his authority as governor and that the deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the instances in which federal troops can engage in civilian law enforcement activities.

On June 12, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ordered the Trump administration to turn control of the California National Guard back to Newsom, but a federal appeals court stayed the lower court’s decision later that day, allowing the federal government to continue directing National Guard troops throughout the Los Angeles deployment.

Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, celebrated the withdrawal of approximately 2,000 National Guard troops from the Los Angeles federal mission.

In an interview with ABC News, Bass cast the troop deployment as performative and questioned why more than 4,000 troops were needed for a mission she described as guarding two buildings.

Bass again celebrated the news of the Marines withdrawing from Los Angeles.

“We just got word that the Marines will be able to go back to their families and will be leaving Los Angeles,” Bass said in a July 21 video post on X.

“I’d like to say that they heard from the people of Los Angeles. This was an unnecessary deployment.”

Sam Dorman contributed to this report.