Pentagon begins redeployment of Marines from Los Angeles as protests subside

The Pentagon has begun redeploying the 700 Marines who were sent to Los Angeles earlier this summer, following a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as stability returns to the city, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that the Marines’ presence “sent a clear message: lawlessness will not be tolerated.” He added that their “unmistakable presence” played a key role in restoring order and upholding the rule of law, even though most of the troops were no longer visible in public after the initial deployment in June, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The military presence was part of a broader federal response to protests sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles. At President Donald Trump’s order, approximately 4,100 California National Guard members and 700 Marines were deployed to support law enforcement efforts amid heightened tensions.

The move was sharply criticized by California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom (D), who condemned the deployments as unnecessary and accused the Trump administration of bypassing the governor’s authority, thereby escalating tensions.

As protests waned across the city, many service members found limited duties. Last week, Hegseth ordered half of the remaining 4,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles to return home, leaving approximately 2,000 Guardsmen to continue supporting ICE operations. An additional 150 Guardsmen were previously reassigned to assist with ongoing wildfire response efforts in California.

Governor Newsom has repeatedly called for all federal troops to withdraw, accusing the administration of using military deployments as “political pawns.”

While Pentagon officials did not specify an exact timeline for the Marines’ full departure, a defense official told The Washington Post that they are expected to return to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms within days.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) welcomed the Marines’ withdrawal in a video posted on X, describing their initial deployment as “unnecessary” and praising the return to calm in the city.

By Vugar Khalilov