JD Vance blasts Newsom while visiting LA, says governor egged on protesters
A war of words between Karen Bass and JD Vance
VP JD Vance and LA Mayor Karen Bass exchanged heated words about one another Friday afternoon during his visit to Los Angeles. Vance spoke exclusively to FOX News about California's immigration policy and the National Guard troops. Congresswoman Luz Rivas also joined FOX 11 to talk about Vance's visit.
LOS ANGELES - Vice President JD Vance arrived in Los Angeles on Friday to visit the city amidst ongoing immigration protests and raids.
Once arriving in LA, he visited the federal building in Westwood and held a press conference discussing the recent raids and the administration's response and goals.
Vance speaks in LA
What they're saying:
Throughout the press conference he lashed out at Gov. Gavin Newsom saying he egged on protesters and endangered law enforcement personnel.
"You had people who were doing the simple job of enforcing the law, and they had rioters egged on by the governor and the mayor, making it harder for them to do their job. That is disgraceful. And it is why the president has responded so forcefully. What happened in Los Angeles, number one, because we've got to enforce our borders and get so many of these criminals out of our country to begin with. And number two, when you have violent agitators who make it impossible for the law enforcement to do their job, it is necessary to protect them and to defend them," Vance exclaimed Friday afternoon.
He also said Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass have treated Border Patrol and Border enforcement as an illegitimate force.
JD Vance says Trump 'restored order to LA'
While visiting Los Angeles, Vice President JD Vance spoke exclusively to FOX's Bill Melugin defending the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and the deployment of military forces. "I think we've now restored some order to Los Angeles. And thank God that we did, because I think absent President Trump's leadership, you would have seen the city really spiral out of control, which we don't want," Vance said.
"So first of all, to set the table, we have a public official in Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who over the past few years have actively encouraged illegal migration into this community, have strained public services, have strained law enforcement, and really have offered generous benefits not to American citizens, but to illegal immigrants, to break the law, to come into our country and to receive generous public assistance for having done so," he added.
He added that law enforcement officers were being captured and beaten by "violent mobs" egged on by Newsom and other officials and that is why Trump activated the National Guard.
JD Vance claims Newsom incited violence in LA
Vice President JD Vance visited Los Angeles on Friday amidst ongoing anti-ICE protests, making claims about what he called "riots" in the city.
During his speech, Vance reaffirmed the administration's goal of detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants and stressed that the main goal of the administration is going after the "really bad guys, the violent criminals, the rapists, and the drug cartel members" and focus law enforcement resources on that.
When asked a question about whether the administration is cracking down on Democrats, Vance took a jab at California Sen. Alex Padilla referring to him as Jose Padilla.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: VIDEO: Sen. Alex Padilla forcibly removed from DHS Kristi Noem's news conference
"Well, I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question. But unfortunately, I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't the theater. And that's all it is. You know, I think everybody realizes that's what this is. It's pure political theater. These guys show up, they want to be captured on camera doing something. They want to be able to go back to their far-left groups and to say, look, me, I stood up against border enforcement," Vance stated.
During his trip, Vance also met with local leadership and U.S. Marines.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 20: Vice President JD Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, greets Marines as he arrives to speak to the press following a tour of the multiagency Federal Joint Operations Center at the Wilshire Federal Building on June 20, 20
Bass slams VP's comments
The other side:
Around 5:30 p.m., Friday, Bass delivered remarks from City Hall slamming Vance, saying his comments were lies and that he created a false narrative about the events that have occurred in the city this month.
"The Vice President of the United States spent 3 or 4 hours in LA before holding a press conference and spewing lies and utter nonsense in an attempt to provoke division and conflict in our city," Bass said as she started her press conference.
She went on to say that the administration's raids have caused panic, fear, and terror among people in the city… with many immigrants too afraid to go to work or leave the house in fear of being detained. She said that has caused businesses to lose employees and customers... suffering a financial loss they say was worse than the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bass: Vance shared 'lies and utter nonsense' on LA
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called out Vice President JD Vance, after he "spewed lies and utter nonsense" about Los Angeles and recent anti-ICE protests in a press conference on Friday. Vance accused Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom of inciting violence during the protests.
"Let me just tell you, like yesterday, what happened at the Dodgers, we're not sure who these armed men are. They show up without uniforms. They show up completely masked. They refuse to give I.D., they're driving regular cars with tinted windows and in some cases, out-of-state license plates. Who are these people? And frankly, the vest that they have on looks like they ordered them from Amazon. Are they bounty hunters? Are they vigilantes? If they're federal officials, why is it that they do not identify themselves? You can imagine the fear and the terror that that has created in our city," she exclaimed.
During her fired-up address, Bass questioned how the vice president could disrespect a senator.
"You don't know his name, but yet you served with him before you were vice president. And you continue to serve with him today? Because the last time I checked, the Vice President of the United States is the president of the U.S. Senate. You serve with him today. And how dare you disrespect him and call him Jose. But I guess he just looks like anybody to you. Well, he's not just anybody to us. He is our senator," Bass stated.
Karen Bass to JD Vance: 'How dare you?'
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized Vice President JD Vance, after Vance referred to California Sen. Alex Padilla as "Jose Padilla" during a recent press conference.
SUGGESTED: Additional National Guard troops being deployed to LA, Dept. of Defense says
Newsom asks to debate Vance
Gov. Newsom posted to X Friday challenging VP Vance to meet him in person and debate.
"Hey @JDVance— nice of you to finally make it out to California. Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face? Let’s debate. Time and place?"
Protests spark over ICE raids
The backstory:
The current situation in Los Angeles stems from protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, which led President Donald Trump to order the National Guard to Los Angeles earlier in June to aid law enforcement.
The administration also sent hundreds of Marines to support these efforts.
SUGGESTED: National Guard in LA: Why is Newsom suing the Trump administration?
Legal battle over National Guard
The other side:
The deployment of troops was met with a lawsuit from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who challenged the Trump administration's authority to take command of the National Guard without the state's permission.
Newsom sued the Trump administration over the deployment of the National Guard.
His legal challenge argued that a president hasn't made a decision about the deployment of a National Guard without the permission of the state's governor since 1965.
SUGGESTED: Trump can keep control of National Guard in Los Angeles, appeals court rules
Newsom and other state officials view the federal deployment as an overreach and a breach of state sovereignty, particularly given the ongoing legal battles regarding immigration policies.
What they're saying:
On Thursday, a unanimous ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stated that Trump is allowed to keep control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles. This ruling stayed a lower court order that had sought to return command of the troops to Governor Newsom.
SUGGESTED: Trump sending 700 Marines to help National Guard
Following the appeals court's decision, Trump praised the ruling in a Thursday night post to Truth Social, stating: "BIG WIN in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the President’s core power to call in the National Guard! The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done. This is a Great Decision for our Country, and we will continue to protect and defend Law abiding Americans. Congratulations to the Ninth Circuit, America is proud of you tonight!"
The Source: Information for this story came from a press conference with JD Vance and Mayor Karen Bass. Information also came from FOX News Digital and previous FOX 11 reports.