Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth smacked down Los Angeles (LA) Mayor Karen Bass’ phony baloney rhetoric after she tried to take credit for the Pentagon withdrawing troops from LA.
The smackdown occurred after The New York Times announced early Sunday that the Pentagon was withdrawing “roughly” 1,350 National Guard members from LA while leaving 250 to protect federal property and personnel.
Bass took this as some sort of “win”:
Another win for Los Angeles tonight: 1,000 more troops are retreating.
We will continue this pressure until ALL troops are out of L.A.https://t.co/spbTtO09TS
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) July 31, 2025
Recall that the Pentagon deployed the National Guard to LA in early June to address the riots that erupted in response to the administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
Recall also that LA city officials did nothing to quell the riots, thus necessitating that the federal government promptly intervene. In fact, if anything, they condemned the riots.
“Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles compared the deployment to an ‘armed occupation,’ and Gov. Gavin Newsom sued federal officials, saying that the deployment was an illegal domestic use of federal troops that had diverted the National Guard from critical functions,” the Times noted.
The deployment was meant to last 60 days, meaning it would have ended naturally on Aug. 7. Instead it ended early precisely because the whole mission was so successful, as usual.
Hegseth explained all this in a scathing reply to Bass.
“You’re welcome Mayor,” he wrote mockingly, taking credit for the withdrawal. “These brave troops are redeploying because their mission was so successful.”
“You should be thanking them for saving your city from mobs & chaos. We will continue to support law enforcement—even when you won’t,” he added.
Look:
You’re welcome Mayor.
These brave troops are redeploying because their mission was so successful.
You should be thanking them for saving your city from mobs & chaos.
We will continue to support law enforcement—even when you won’t. https://t.co/BQPKfDQTJk
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) July 31, 2025
This wasn’t the first time that Bass had tried to take credit for troop withdrawals from LA. Indeed, she tried to pull the same stunt in mid-July after the Los Angeles Times reported that the Trump administration was withdrawing 50 percent of its LA-deployed troops.
“This retreat happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong,” she tweeted at the time. “My message today to Angelenos is clear — I will never stop fighting for this city. We will not stop making our voices heard until this ends, not just here in LA, but throughout our country.”
Look:
This retreat happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong.
My message today to Angelenos is clear — I will never stop fighting for this city. We will not stop making our voices heard until this ends, not just here in LA, but throughout our country. https://t.co/4kHMuZcsRQ
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) July 15, 2025
Hegseth said nothing this time. Instead he let the public handle her.
“Give me a break,” one critic tweeted. “Trump didn’t do anything because of you or the illegals you represent. They’ll be back when needed.”
True!
“No, the retreat happened because the National Guard came in and cleaned up a mess you helped create,” another critic wrote. “Anything else, Karen?”
See more responses below:
You aren’t fighting for anyone except your future as a progressive nut job in politics.
— FANATIC (@crusade_enjoyer) July 15, 2025
If you think you had anything to do with this your more delusional than i
Thought— Craig for Common Sense (@CraigABrill) July 15, 2025
It’s not a ‘retreat’ you commie old hag
These are our sons and daughters and they had to do what your useless ass couldn’t.— Fattious Johnson (@FattiousJohnson) July 15, 2025
Stupid person.
You’re conflating command decisions with something you are responsible for. You had nothing to do with this decision I promise.
— Southern Right Cross (@almcb25) July 15, 2025
It didn’t have a damn thing to do with you
You are not that powerful just because you think you are
It is solely because they are no longer needed and that is it
So stop making it sound like you are some powerful mayor because you clearly are not— Curiously Curious (@serena4d) July 16, 2025
Communist Mayor Bass is a Complete LIAR and a FRAUD. pic.twitter.com/H81wEoOTF5
— TInaMariePx2 (@PerezTMx2) July 15, 2025
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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