Trump Unleashes on "Gavin Newscum" Amid L.A. Chaos, Claims He Saved the City from "Obliteration"

Former President Donald Trump directly criticized Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, labeling their governance "incompetent" and derisively renaming Newsom as "Gavin Newscum." This rhetoric followed a tumultuous weekend in Los Angeles, where federal immigration enforcement actions conducted by ICE catalyzed significant unrest. On June 6, approximately 44 individuals were arrested, which sparked demonstrations that rapidly devolved into disorder.

Protesters obstructed freeways, set self-driving vehicles ablaze, and engaged in aggressive confrontations with law enforcement, including incidents of launching fireworks and concrete projectiles. In reaction, police deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbang grenades. Authorities designated specific areas of the city as unlawful assembly zones; however, the protests soon spread beyond Los Angeles to nearby cities such as Compton, Paramount, and Pasadena and even prompted solidarity demonstrations in San Francisco, resulting in 60 arrests in the Bay Area. 

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The damage in Los Angeles was extensive: several government facilities, including the LAPD headquarters and the U.S. Courthouse, suffered vandalism, and fires were reported in dumpsters and trash receptacles. One retail establishment experienced looting while several others preemptively boarded up in anticipation of continued unrest.

In a move characterized by his typical brashness, Trump proclaimed on June 9 that he had mobilized 2,000 National Guard troops to prevent further violence and property destruction in the city. His assertion was clear: "You're welcome, California." He emphasized, "We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated."

Trump further escalated tensions by naming Newsom and Bass, insisting they should express gratitude and even suggesting Newsom's arrest. "The very incompetent 'Governor,' Gavin Newscum, and 'Mayor,' Karen Bass, should be saying, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.'"

In response, Newsom issued a legal admonition, describing the deployment as a federal overreach and a breach of state authority. He stated, "This inflamed an already delicate situation. We are pursuing every legal avenue to regain command over our own National Guard forces." Bass supported this stance, denouncing the action as "political theater" intended to exacerbate division, claiming, "This was never about safety; this was about headlines and control."

Meanwhile, despite the unrest, the BET Awards are set to proceed as scheduled just hours later. Organizers are closely assessing the situation but remain hopeful for a safe execution of the event. The validity of Trump's assertion that Los Angeles is on the verge of "obliteration" invites debate, yet the political landscape in California has become increasingly convoluted.