Defense Secretary Challenges Criticism of Trump’s Riot Response

Clear Facts

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confronted Democrat Rep. Betty McCollum over her criticism of President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines during recent riots in Los Angeles.
• Hegseth highlighted the chaos in Minnesota during the 2020 riots under Governor Tim Walz’s leadership, where a police precinct was abandoned and burned.
• Trump’s decision to deploy federal forces in Los Angeles was in response to rioters setting fires and looting, despite local leaders claiming the city was calm.

In a recent exchange, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth challenged Democrat Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum over her critique of President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard and U.S. Marines during the recent riots in Los Angeles. McCollum attempted to draw a comparison between Trump’s actions and those of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz during the 2020 riots. However, Hegseth was quick to remind her of the chaotic events that unfolded in Minnesota under Walz’s watch.

McCollum argued that the situation in Minnesota was handled adequately by local law enforcement and the National Guard, stating, “History has proven that law enforcement and the National Guard are more than capable of handling situations more volatile than what happened this weekend.”

Hegseth countered her narrative by recalling the events of 2020, when the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct was “abandoned” and “burned to the ground.”

“Well congresswoman, thank you for the question,” Hegseth began. “You are right, we are both originally from Minnesota and that’s why I recall 2020 quite well when Governor Walz abandoned a police precinct and allowed it to be burned to the ground.”

He further criticized the delayed response by Walz, noting that “five days of chaos” ensued before the National Guard was mobilized.

“And President Trump recognizes a situation like that, improperly hindered by a governor, like it was by Governor Walz, if it gets out of control, it is bad a situation for the citizens of any location,” Hegseth added.

In Los Angeles, Trump’s deployment of federal forces came as rioters set fires, threw explosives, and looted businesses. Despite these actions, local leaders like Democrat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass claimed the city was “calm.”

Meanwhile, Democrat California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom took legal action against the Trump administration over the deployment.

The events in Minnesota during 2020 were marked by significant unrest following the death of George Floyd. The riots caused an estimated $500 million in damages, with widespread looting and destruction. Governor Walz later criticized the city’s response as an “abject failure” and acknowledged the delay in deploying the National Guard.

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