President Trump accused California Gov. Jerry Brown of conducting a “charade” by agreeing to send National Guard troops to the border with restrictions on their activity and said the federal government won’t foot the bill for Brown’s move.
“Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy ‘up to 400 National Guard Troops’ to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Brown’s charade. We need border security and action, not words!” Trump tweeted.
Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy “up to 400 National Guard Troops” to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Brown’s charade. We need border security and action, not words!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018
Brown, a Democrat, announced late Wednesday he would deploy 400 National Guard troops to address issues relating to immigration. But the California governor said the members of the California National Guard will not enforce immigration laws or help build Trump’s border wall, and said not all would be sent to the border.
He said the troops could be used to interdict illegal firearm and drug shipments going across the southern border and disrupt transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers, and drug smugglers, among other tasks.
Trump asked four states along the U.S.-Mexico border — California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas — to send troops to assist with border issues until Congress passes legislation strengthening border security. In total, the president wants up to 4,000 National Guard troops to help.
California had been negotiating with the Department of Homeland Security about what the mission of the state’s National Guard troops would be.
At the Pentagon, spokeswoman Dana White was asked what it meant when Trump said the federal government will no longer pay for the deployment.
“The Pentagon will continue to support the Department of Homeland Security as they identify their needs and requirements. We are in a support role,” she said. “National Guard troops are under Title 32 and they are under the governors’ command and control. The Department of Defense will stand ready to support DHS.”
Jamie McIntyre contributed to this report.
