Tensions are escalating between President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue to grip Los Angeles and spread to New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Austin, Texas, and other cities.
Trump deployed about 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to LA against Newsom's wishes.
A federal appeals court Thursday delayed an order requiring the Trump administration to return control of the National Guard to Newsom, dealing the administration a temporary reprieve to what would have been a major reversal of its policy on the protests.
Southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles remain closed to traffic as protests continue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police said the closure comes as demonstrators continue to throw objects onto the freeway, damaging multiple police vehicles.
Police face off with demonstrators amid smoke during a protest against federal immigration sweeps in downtown Los Angeles, June 8, 2025.
Mike Blake/Reuters
The southbound lanes will remain closed until further notice, police said.
Jun 08, 2025, 10:33 PM EDT
Trump claims Los Angeles protesters are 'paid insurrectionists'
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social from Camp David on Sunday, commenting on the ongoing Los Angeles protests where several individuals have been detained and cars have been set on fire as demonstrations escalate.
The president called for California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to "apologize to the people of Los Angeles."
President Donald Trump arrives at Hagerstown Regional Airport, en route to Camp David, in Hagerstown, Maryland, June 8, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
In the social media post, Trump calls the protestors "troublemakers and insurrectionists."
The president is also claiming that the protesters in Los Angeles are being paid.
"Paid Insurrectionists!" Trump wrote in a separate social media post.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh
Jun 08, 2025, 10:20 PM EDT
Newsom joins Los Angeles police and sheriffs amid ongoing protests
California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined officials from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to address the ongoing protests in the city.
The governor said the protests have been "provoked by chaos from Washington."
"We’re here to keep the peace — not play into Trump’s political games," Newsom wrote alongside a photo of the meeting.
Jun 08, 2025, 9:08 PM EDT
Mayor Karen Bass: 'Our city does not need to be torn apart'
Amid the chaotic scenes of burning vehicles and protesters flooding the 101 freeway, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was visibly frustrated and disappointed with the situation unfolding in Los Angeles, saying, "Our city does not need to be torn apart."
Bass revealed during a press conference Sunday that she has been talking to the federal administration for days, trying to discourage the deployment of the National Guard in L.A., saying it would create chaos.
California Highway Patrol officers clear protestors who were blocking the 101 freeway on June 08, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
"Deploying federalized troops is a dangerous escalation, but we need to be real about this. This is about another agenda. It's not about public safety. There's clearly no plan, and there is clearly no policy," said Bass.
The mayor also condemned the violence that has stemmed from the protests.
"If you are going to entertain violence, if you are going to try to take over a freeway, then you are going to suffer the consequences of doing that," said Bass.