Fact check: Are citizens of Los Angeles asking Trump for help

1. Summary of the results

The evidence strongly indicates that citizens of Los Angeles are NOT asking Trump for help. In fact, there is significant opposition to Trump's actions in Los Angeles, with citizens actively protesting against ICE operations and military deployment ^[1]. Local leadership, including Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, have explicitly opposed Trump's intervention ^[2], with Newsom calling it "purposefully inflammatory" and Bass stating there was "nothing going on here that warranted federal intervention" ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual elements are missing from the original question:

• The National Guard deployment was unilateral and unprecedented: Experts describe this action as "extremely rare" and "without modern precedent" ^[4]
• The situation on the ground may be less severe than portrayed: Most Angelenos are going about their normal day, with social media potentially amplifying tensions ^[5]
• There are multiple concurrent issues at play:
• Immigration raids and ICE operations
• Military/National Guard deployment
• Wildfires ^[6]
• Local emergency and curfew declarations ^[7]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself contains an implicit bias by suggesting citizens might be asking for Trump's help when the situation is actually the opposite. This type of framing could benefit several groups:

• Federal authorities seeking to justify intervention: The narrative of "citizens asking for help" could legitimize federal deployment of troops against local wishes
• Political actors who benefit from portraying California as unable to manage its affairs: The tension between Trump and Governor Newsom ^[6] suggests this could be part of a larger political conflict
• Social media amplification: The sources suggest that social media may be exaggerating the situation ^[5], potentially creating a false narrative about the need for federal intervention

The reality is that local and state officials have consistently stated they did not want or need federal troops in Los Angeles ^[4], and the deployment was done without their request or approval.