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California Governor Gavin Newsom tore into trump administration On Saturday, he accused the White House of leaning on the Army to commit an “absurd show of force” through a planned exercise to fire live artillery rounds onto the busy I-5 highway as part of an event tied to the Army’s 250th anniversary.
“With this disregard for public safety, the President is putting his ego above responsibility,” Newsom said. Said In a statement. “Firing live rounds onto a busy highway is not only wrong – it’s dangerous. Using our military to intimidate people you disagree with is not strength – it’s reckless, it’s disrespectful, and it’s beneath their rank.”
State officials, who temporarily closed I-5 near the Camp Pendleton base where the exercise was taking place, alleged that Marine Corps confirmed on Thursday that the exercise would be conducted on a training range without firing on the freeway.
NewsomThe office claims that a day later, it received news that the state should warn passersby of “fire overhead,” with federal officials confirming that a live fire drill was scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
“Due to the extreme life safety risks and distractions to drivers, including sudden unexpected and loud explosions, a section of I-5 will be closed for a period on Saturday,” Newsom’s office said.
The White House and the Marine Corps say the exercise was safe and that highway closures were unnecessary.
“They closed the highway,” White House wrote On X. “Not only did no one in the White House or the Marines ask them to do this, but the Marines repeatedly said there was no public safety concern from today’s practice.”
a marine corps spokesman told Los Angeles Times That “M777 artillery pieces have historically been fired during routine training at impact areas east of the interstate from land-based artillery firing points west of I-5, within existing security protocols and without the need to close the route.”
“This is an established and safe practice,” the spokesperson said.
A spokesman for Vice President J.D. Vance, who was present at the firing exercise, accused Newsom of politicizing the event.
The firing exercise, which was planned to demonstrate the Marine Corps’ amphibious capabilities, was scheduled as it was attended by millions of protesters Nationwide No Kings protests Which the administration has repeatedly criticized.
Thousands of protesters attended more than a dozen protests in Southern California.
Newsom’s office said of the military demonstrations, “Law and order? It’s chaos and confusion.”
The war of words between Newsom and the White House continues after months of public debate.
Newsom, a rumored 2028 presidential candidate Sued the Trump administration several times Taking steps like sending the National Guard to Los Angeles, while adopting a Trump-style aggressive posture on social media.