United States: The political drama in California just got even hotter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is firmly standing behind President Donald Trump after the president ordered 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines into Los Angeles. The move comes as protests erupt over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and tensions on the ground are escalating.
During a fiery press conference, Johnson said Trump is “absolutely right” and has the full authority to restore order. He also launched a strong attack on California Governor Gavin Newsom, saying the governor should be “tarred and feathered” for what Johnson called a failure to lead.
Trump recently hinted that Newsom should be arrested—a comment Newsom slammed as “authoritarian.” Johnson didn’t go that far, but he made it clear that he believes Newsom is focusing more on “rebranding” than on protecting his state.
“Do your job, man,” Johnson said. “Stand up for the rule of law.”
Newsom fired back on social media, saying skipping straight to 1700s-style punishment says a lot about the GOP’s direction.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration is defending the deployment and pushing forward the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a major immigration and tax bill that boosts military and border funding but includes cuts to safety net programs, such as Medicaid and SNAP. It’s a sharp political flashpoint, and tensions are rising in both the streets and the Capitol.
Other Republicans, including Senators Kevin Cramer, John Kennedy, and John Cornyn, also stood by Trump. Some mocked Newsom’s leadership, saying he offered “hot cocoa and a hug” instead of solutions.
