Trump meets with military leaders at Camp David amid LA riots
President Donald Trump convened with military leaders and top Cabinet officials at Camp David on Sunday to discuss strategies for addressing the anti-immigration enforcement riots in Los Angeles. The administration is exploring all options to quell the unrest and restore order in the city.
“We’re going up to Camp David; we have meetings with various people about very major subjects,” Trump stated before boarding Air Force One. “We’ll be meeting with a lot of people, including generals and admirals.”
The meeting, described as the first of a series of off-campus retreats attended by the President and Vice President, included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The discussions centered on the possibility of deploying U.S. Marines to assist the National Guard in controlling the riots in Los Angeles, sparked by protests against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids.
Trump has already dispatched 2,000 National Guard troops to the city, bypassing approval from California Governor Gavin Newsom. He has not ruled out invoking the Insurrection Act, which grants the president authority to deploy the military to suppress rebellions. This move would involve sending in the Marines to restore order in the city.
The President emphasized his directive to Cabinet officials to take necessary actions to halt the migrant invasion and quell the riots in Los Angeles. Camp David, a historic executive retreat nestled in Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland, has been the backdrop for crucial discussions and decision-making since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration.
In addition to addressing the riots, the White House deliberated on trade negotiations with China, ongoing disputes with former advisor Elon Musk, the Big Beautiful Bill Act in the Senate, and negotiations with Iran over nuclear ambitions. Following the retreat, Trump is scheduled to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding hostage and ceasefire discussions with Hamas.
The administration is committed to restoring order in Los Angeles and addressing a myriad of pressing issues both domestically and internationally. The discussions at Camp David underscore the administration’s dedication to upholding law and order while navigating complex diplomatic challenges on a global scale.
