
UPDATED: Vice President JD Vance, after touring a federal operations center in Westwood, said that a federal troop presence was still needed in Los Angeles to address the protests to ICE raids, while casting great amounts of blame on Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
“The good news is, the rioting has gotten a lot better; the bad news is, as I heard from everybody, unfortunately, the soldiers and Marines are very much a necessary part of what is going on here, because they’re worried that it is going to flare back up,” Vance said in brief remarks.
Vance accused Newsom and Bass not only of encouraging “illegal migration into this community,” he also said that the governor and mayor were “encouraging these far-left agitators” who were engaging in violent acts during the protests.
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“So why do you have far-left agitators, egged on by local officials, who are encouraging these agitators to harass and threaten our border patrol?” Vance said. “You have it because of a lack of common sense. These people need to be stopped. These people need to be told that if you threaten a law enforcement officer, you’re going to prison for it.”
Newsom and Bass have called for peaceful protests and warned that those who engage in violence and vandalism will be held accountable.
Newsom’s press office noted that Vance was also in L.A. for the RNC’s high-dollar summer retreat, while the governor trolled the vice president’s mischaracterization of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) as “Jose.”
Bass told reporters, “Mr. Vice President, how dare you disrespect our senator? You don’t know his name? You served with him before you were vice president, and you continue to serve with him today” as Vance is also the president of the U.S. Senate. “I guess he just looked like anybody to you.”
At his press conference, Vance had answered a question from a reporter by saying, “I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn’t the theater.”
That was a reference to an incident last week, when Padilla was removed from a press conference being given by Kristi Noem, the secretary of Homeland Security. As Padilla shouted that he was a U.S. senator trying to ask a question, her security detail forced him to the ground and handcuffed.
Vance’s press secretary said of his reference to Jose Padilla, “He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law.”
Meanwhile, Jacob Soboroff, the NBC News political and national correspondent who has been covering immigration, ICE and the protests, said that he was denied access to the VP’s press conference.
PREVIOUSLY: Vice President JD Vance arrived in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon for a tour of a command center, amid strident opposition from local elected officials and protests over the Trump administration’s ICE raids.
According to the VP’s team, Vance will be getting briefings from the Department of Defense, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the LAPD and California Highway Patrol.
Earlier, Vance’s office said that he “will tour a multi-agency Federal Joint Operations Center, a Federal Mobile Command Center, meet with leadership and Marines and deliver brief remarks,” per his office. Fox News Digital first reported on his travel plans.
Vance also is visiting following the Ninth Circuit’s decision on Thursday that allows Donald Trump to continue to have control over the National Guard as the state’s legal challenge continues. In a per curiam opinion, a three-judge panel concluded that Trump “lawfully exercised his statutory authority,” rejecting the state’s motion to allow a lower court order to proceed.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the court ruling “disappointing” but said that the case was “far from over.” “While the court did not provide immediate relief for Angelenos today, we remain confident in our arguments and will continue the fight,” he said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued the Trump administration after the president federalized the National Guard, and later deployed 700 Marines to the region. Newsom said that he was not consulted and that the dispatching of federal troops has only inflamed tensions in Los Angeles. He has warned that the administration’s actions are merely a prelude to what will happen in other cities.
In a video posted on X, Newsom urged Vance to meet with those who lost their homes in the devastating wildfires in January, when parts of Pacific Palisades and Altadena were wiped out. “It’s also important as well, and I honestly mean this, that you sit down with the president of the United States, who just a couple of days ago suggested that these American citizens may not get the support that other citizens get all across this country in terms of disaster relief. I hope we get that back on track.” Republicans have suggested that conditions should be placed on disaster aid to the state, while on Wednesday Trump suggested that his dustups with Newsom could impact California’s $40 billion request.
Imagine having JD Vance as your dad. It must be a living hell.
Notice how they’re shifting the conversation away from the stagnating economy and interest rates, the looming empty shelves heading into Fall, housing still unaffordable, consumer prices still up, homelessness still on the rise, and A.I. eroding jobs at a rapid pace.
One thing you can give massive props for to this Project 2025 administration is they sure know how to distract the media and the phone-scrolling public. The chaos and bufoonery of Musk (who Trump himself said was out of his mind) and his DOGE hackers dismantling agencies, sewing chaos in federal departments, and making off with everyone’s data is just swept under the rug. Nothing to see there anymore, folks. Let’s talk about all those Spanish-speaking criminals, trans athletes, and starting another war!
well, to quote the immortal Walt Kelly (Pogo)…’we have met the enemy…and the enemy is us!’-JD Vance has his head up his ass, and probably will never be aware of how wrong he is about humanity, our need to be free, and our capacity for love nd kindness…not a stupid man, but again, to quote (this time, the Mythical Forrest Gump), ‘Stupid is as stupid does…’
Get out of California. You don’t like our state and we can’t stand you.
Cannot wait to see what happens to Vance after this presidency. And even more excited for when Trump inevitably throws him under the bus before the end of his term.
Uh, no. Look at the people Trump worked with previously. Aside from the real Project 2025 creeps like Miller and Vought, most resign, get fired, or get their lives threatened by MAGA nutjobs like Pence. At best, they end up working for Fixed Noise or a podcast.
Or get indicted.
He’s going to be the next President, for 2 terms.