Photos of US National Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles area sleeping on floors have gone viral, sparking widespread criticism.
California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his dissatisfaction on social media, accusing US President Donald Trump of recklessly deploying troops without providing adequate support.
Governor Newsom posted the images on social media platform X, criticizing the conditions faced by soldiers deployed to Los Angeles. In his post, he directly addressed Trump, saying, "You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep. Here they are — being forced to sleep on the floor, piled on top of one another. If anyone is treating our troops disrespectfully, it is you."
Newsom further denounced the deployment as "reckless, pointless, and disrespectful to our troops," highlighting that, as of June 9, only about 300 National Guard members were actively deployed, while others were idling inside federal buildings without executing orders.
In response, US Department of Defense spokesperson Sean Parnell accused Newsom of using troops as "political props." He added, "Oh by the way, they wouldn't even have to be there had you just done your job. Also, when you're a Solider you're prepared to sleep in worse places than this."
Another Pentagon spokesperson clarified that the troops were resting due to a lack of active missions. The spokesperson also stated that relocating the troops to better accommodation was deemed unsafe given the unstable security situation. Additionally, the spokesperson assured that soldiers had access to food and water whenever needed.
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