Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA) on Tuesday echoed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s criticism of the federal government’s handling of troop deployments to Los Angeles, where thousands of National Guard troops and Marines have been sent to assist in quelling violent unrest tied to protests over ICE operations. Both Democrats alleged that the deployed personnel were sent without proper logistical support, including basic necessities like food, water, fuel, and lodging.
Newsom publicized the issue Monday afternoon via social media, posting photos of service members sleeping on the floor in tight quarters. His message targeted President Donald Trump directly: “You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep.”
Less than a day later, Aguilar confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with similar concerns during a hearing. “Troops sleeping on the floor, and have not been provided fuel, food, or water by DoD,” Aguilar said, demanding to know the length of the deployment and why the Defense Department was allegedly unprepared.
Hegseth refuted the accusations unequivocally. “The commanders and troops in the field are very well prepared,” he stated. “They responded incredibly rapidly to a deteriorating situation.” He emphasized his personal experience with riot deployments, citing his time serving during the 2020 unrest in Washington, D.C.
While acknowledging there may be temporary inconveniences during rapid deployments, Hegseth assured lawmakers that provisions were being addressed in real time. “We are ensuring they’re housed, fed, water, capabilities in real time, from my office,” he said, calling the suggestion that leadership was indifferent to troop welfare “a disingenuous attack.”
When Aguilar referenced the widely circulated photos again, Hegseth responded bluntly: “It’s true every day,” adding, “Nobody cares more about the troops at the top than this Secretary and the Chairman and our department.”
The exchange grew heated, with Aguilar attempting to interject repeatedly. Hegseth held firm, rejecting what he described as politically motivated mischaracterizations.
Responding to questions about deployment duration, Hegseth confirmed the National Guard and Marine presence in Los Angeles is authorized for 60 days. “We want to ensure that those rioters, looters, and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere,” he said.
WATCH:
. @SecDef just dismantled the accusation that our troops in California are not being fed or housed.
We have a secretary that is putting our warfighters needs FIRST! pic.twitter.com/9ziFCvt10f
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) June 10, 2025