California Senator Adam Schiff accused President Trump on Monday of deliberately provoking unrest in Los Angeles to distract from his controversial tax and spending bill, claiming the president is “more than happy” to see the protests turn violent. Speaking to reporters at a press briefing in Los Angeles, Schiff said Trump is escalating tensions without concern for the consequences.
“It’s this deliberate kind of provocation that is only escalating the situation, but the president doesn’t care about making it worse,” Schiff said. “He’s more than happy to see violent protests.”
The protests erupted over the weekend in response to a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workplace raids that began Friday, drawing thousands of demonstrators into the streets. In response, Trump ordered thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to deploy to the area to protect federal agents despite strong opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has argued the state did not authorize or need military intervention.
Schiff accused Trump of using the situation to divert attention from the Senate debate over the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” the president’s signature tax and spending package. The bill, which narrowly passed the House last month, includes trillions in tax breaks and budget cuts but has faced resistance in the Senate, even among some Republicans.
“It gives him something to talk about, something other than his big ugly bill that’s going to blow a hole in the deficit and take away people’s healthcare,” Schiff said. “So, for him, this is a wonderful distraction.”
Schiff, a vocal Trump critic, has repeatedly raised alarms over what he calls the president’s use of crisis politics to deflect from policy failures. His latest remarks add to the growing backlash from Democratic leaders who argue Trump is using immigration enforcement as a political weapon while ignoring state authority and fueling public unrest.