General Requests 200 National Guard Soldiers Be Returned to California Wildfire Unit
The senior U.S. military officer overseeing federal forces deployed to Los Angeles in response to immigration-related protests has formally requested the return of 200 California National Guard troops to assist with wildfire containment efforts, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, submitted the request to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing urgent staffing needs as California enters the height of wildfire season. The troops in question had been reassigned from Joint Task Force Rattlesnake. The state’s primary National Guard wildfire response unit to help manage unrest stemming from widespread protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles.
The current deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump in early June, included approximately 4,000 California National Guard personnel and 800 active-duty Marines. The action went forward despite objections from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has repeatedly expressed concern that the loss of firefighting personnel compromises the state’s preparedness for a severe wildfire season. A contingent of National Guard troops are stationed at the Westwood Federal Building.
With several fires burning in San Bernardino and Riverside County, the need to return the troops to their duties seems urgent, especially since there haven’t been any large-scale protests in two weeks. The National Guard’s impact is on top of the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threaten the safety of communities across the state. The U.S. Forest Service has lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response, both of which are likely to impact wildfire response this year.
The Marines, who are primarily tasked with securing federal properties, have sparked legal scrutiny due to questions surrounding their authority to operate on U.S. soil under domestic law. While the Insurrection Act — which grants the president authority to use military forces for law enforcement purposes — has not been invoked, at least one instance has emerged in which Marines temporarily detained civilians, further raising legal and ethical concerns.
Newsom has continued to advocate for the reallocation of National Guard troops back to wildfire duty, warning of critical shortfalls in personnel just as fire risks escalate. Newsom said, “We’re glad to see the top military commander overseeing Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles agree: it’s time to pull back National Guard troops and get them back to their critical firefighting duties. President Trump: Listen to your military leaders, and stop the political theater.”
Officials say a decision from the Defense Department on Guillot’s request is pending.
