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Fact check: Are LA residents demanding Gavin Newsom allow the military to patrol the city?
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses provided, there is no evidence that LA residents are demanding Governor Gavin Newsom allow the military to patrol the city. In fact, the sources reveal the opposite situation is occurring.
The analyses show that Governor Newsom has been actively opposing military deployment in Los Angeles through legal action. Newsom filed a lawsuit to block the Trump Administration's militarization of downtown Los Angeles, citing risks to servicemembers, civilians, and constitutional norms [1]. The Governor's office has also made emergency requests to block the Trump administration from using the National Guard and Marines to assist with immigration raids in Los Angeles [2].
The military presence being discussed appears to be federally initiated rather than state-requested. Sources confirm the deployment of 700 Marines to Los Angeles to deal with ongoing protests [3], and the Pentagon's decision to later scale down National Guard deployment to LA [4]. The deployment of Marines to patrol the border has been characterized by Newsom's office as "mission creep" [5].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original question lacks crucial context about the actual nature of the military deployment controversy. The analyses reveal that:
- Former military leaders have publicly opposed the deployment, calling it an "occupation" and stating "We aren't a domestic police force" [1]
- The military deployment is estimated to cost $134 million according to Pentagon figures [2]
- Governor Newsom has characterized the plan to deploy Marines as a "deranged fantasy of a dictatorial president" [3]
- Local officials have expressed concerns about the deployment of military personnel in their jurisdictions [2]
The question also omits the broader context of Newsom's public safety initiatives, which focus on organized retail crime enforcement through civilian law enforcement rather than military intervention. The state has seized $6.5 million in stolen goods in 2025 and generated 14,133 prosecution case referrals through these civilian-led efforts [6] [7].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question contains a fundamental factual inversion of the actual situation. Rather than residents demanding military patrols, the evidence shows:
- Governor Newsom is legally fighting against military deployment in Los Angeles [1] [2]
- The military presence is being imposed by federal authorities rather than requested by state or local officials
- Military leaders themselves oppose the domestic deployment [1]
This framing could benefit those who wish to portray state opposition to federal military deployment as somehow contrary to public demand, when the analyses show no evidence of such public demand existing. The question's premise appears to be entirely unsupported by available evidence and may serve to legitimize controversial federal military deployments by suggesting they have grassroots support that does not appear to exist.