Marines to leave Los Angeles, Pentagon says

Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times on Jul 21, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — More than a month after President Trump made the fiercely contentious decision to send hundreds of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, those troops will begin withdrawing from the city, Pentagon officials said Monday.

The decision comes a week after the Pentagon announced that half of the almost 4,000 National Guard soldiers deployed to the Los Angeles area would be released from duty. The Marines and National Guard were sent to the city in early June amid widespread federal immigration raids and fiery protests, with the Trump administration vowing to crack down on “rioters, looters and thugs,” and local officials ferociously denouncing the unprecedented deployment of military troops on such a mission.

In recent days, the troops have been largely fighting tedium, without much to do.

“With stability returning to Los Angeles, the Secretary has directed the redeployment of the 700 Marines whose presence sent a clear message: lawlessness will not be tolerated. Their rapid response, unwavering discipline, and unmistakable presence were instrumental in restoring order and upholding the rule of law. We’re deeply grateful for their service, and for the strength and professionalism they brought to this mission,” Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement Monday.

News of the Marines’ withdrawal, which was first reported by the New York Times, broke minutes after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass finished a public appearance with veterans’ groups, where she decried the “inappropriate” presence of military forces on L.A. streets.

“This is another win for Los Angeles. As we said this morning — the way to best support our troops is to have them do what they enlisted to do, not to protect two office buildings,” Bass said in response to the withdrawal.

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