Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco slammed former vice president Kamala Harris calling her remarks “an embarrassment” after she condemned Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, calling it provocative.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is running for governor in 2026, lashed out at Harris in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “President Trump didn’t start these riots. He’s not out there lighting cars on fire, hurling projectiles at law enforcement or blocking freeways.”
“This statement is an embarrassment and does nothing to diffuse the violent riots taking place across the city. The Democrats and their ‘leaders’ own this.”
Harris: National Guard deployment “provokes chaos”
Harris condemned Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in response to the escalating unrest: “Los Angeles is my home. And like so many Americans, I am appalled at what we are witnessing on the streets of our city.”
“Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos.”
Her remarks aligned with other Democratic leaders in the state who accuse Trump of aggravating tensions rather than resolving them.
Violence escalates across Los Angeles
Los Angeles has seen three straight days of unrest, with demonstrators attacking law enforcement and damaging property. Protesters have reportedly hurled rocks and concrete at federal agents, set cars on fire, and stormed major highways.
Police declared all of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area Sunday night and ordered crowds to disperse.
LAPD Chief Dominic Reigns admitted the force was “overwhelmed” by the scale and violence of the demonstrations.
California leaders condemn Trump’s response
California Governor Gavin Newsom accused the Trump administration of overstepping its authority and escalating the situation: “Trump has created the conditions around these protests. We will sue the administration for violating California’s sovereignty.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed this sentiment: “I don’t want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the administration completely unnecessarily.”
Trump fires back: “BRING IN THE TROOPS!”
Trump dismissed the accusations and doubled down on his call for a strong federal response:
“Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” he posted on Truth Social.
“ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!”
The President described the protesters as “violent, insurrectionist mobs.”
Anti-ICE protests turn violent
The protests began as demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies but quickly turned violent. The unrest has triggered a larger political clash between state and federal authorities over how to handle civil disorder.
The political blame game continues as California officials and federal leaders clash over who is responsible for the chaos engulfing Los Angeles.