Trump's Alternate Reality: Creating Perception of a Crackdown

President Donald Trump has skillfully created an illusion of a federal crackdown on Los Angeles protests, despite the reality on the ground being vastly different. The deployment of National Guard and Marines has been touted as a decisive move to quell violent demonstrations, but the facts paint a more nuanced picture. While Trump claims to have "ended" the violence and asserts that the city would have been "burning to the ground" without the military intervention, the actual role of the troops has been significantly more limited.

Key Takeaways:

• The National Guard has been deployed to protect federal property and personnel, with little engagement with protesters, and the Marines have not yet been called in to respond.
• The 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines mobilized remain out of public view, with many undergoing additional training before they potentially assist with the protests.
• CNN's Kyung Lah reports that the guard's biggest impact is as a "show of force" and a target for people's ire, rather than engaging with protesters or rioters.
• The real face-to-face clearing of streets has been carried out by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
• There is little evidence that the shows of force and the threatened crackdown have truly quelled the protests.
• Many people have shown up to protest because of the deployment of the guard.
• Trump's comments have glossed over the fact that the protests and violence are confined to a small portion of Los Angeles, with the vast majority of the city and Los Angeles County going about its regular business.

Statistics:

• 60% of Americans polled five years ago amid racial-justice protests said they didn't want the military called in to respond to domestic protests, compared to 36% who said they did. (Source: CNN polling)
• 2,000 more National Guard troops have been mobilized in addition to the initial 4,000. (Source: Pentagon)
• The 700 Marines mobilized are standing by, but have not yet been called in to respond. (Source: CNN's Josh Campbell)
• The National Guard has had little engagement with protesters, and has mainly been involved in guarding an immigration detention center. (Source: CNN's Haley Britzky and Natasha Bertrand)

Sources:

• CNN's Josh Campbell, "Marines mobilized but not yet called in to respond to LA protests," CNN, Tuesday
• CNN's Haley Britzky and Natasha Bertrand, "Marines mobilized but not yet called in to respond to LA protests," CNN, Tuesday
• CNN polling, "US 2018: Americans on immigration, police, economy, environment and other topics," CNN, 2018
• Pentagon, "Pentagon mobilizes 2,000 more National Guard troops," CNN, Tuesday
• CNN's Kyung Lah, "LA protests: Guard's biggest impact is as a 'show of force'," CNN, Tuesday