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CNN's Dana Bash compared President Donald Trump to an arsonist calling the fire department on Monday because of his decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles to help quell the riots over deportations of illegal immigrants.
"I know this is a promise that he gave on the campaign trail to do whatever he could to deport illegal immigrants," Bash said during her show, "Inside Politics With Dana Bash."
"But what you just posted is basically an arsonist saying, 'I better call the fire department because they got to come in fast to get the flames out," she added. "That seems like what‘s going on."
NY TIMES SAYS 'REAL EMERGENCY' IS TRUMP SENDING TROOPS TO LOS ANGELES
CNN's Dana Bash compared President Donald Trump to an arsonist calling the fire department over his decision to send the National Guard to LA. (Photo: Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic, RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images)
In a Monday post on TruthSocial referenced by Bash, Trump defended his decision to send 2,000 National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area over the weekend to respond to the riots.
"We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California," Trump said in the post. "If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated. The very incompetent ‘Governor,’ Gavin Newscum, and ‘Mayor,’ Karen Bass, should be saying, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL. WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, SIR.’"
Footage of the riots shows people spitting on and burning the American flag as well as assaulting police officers and setting cars on fire. Rioters also smashed the windows of the Los Angeles Police Department's headquarters.
The rioting began on Friday, the same day LA Mayor Karen Bass called out Trump for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids detaining illegal immigrants.
"This morning, we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles," Bass said in a Friday statement.
"As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place," she added. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My Office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this."
NEWSOM'S OFFICE COMPARES LA RIOTS AGAINST FEDERAL AGENTS TO SPORTS CELEBRATIONS
In a Monday post on TruthSocial referenced by Bash, Trump defended his decision to send 2,000 National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area on Friday to respond to the protests. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., posted on Monday that the Trump administration is "baiting unrest instead of working to bring our nation together."
Califonria Gov. Gavin Newsom, D., also blamed the Trump administration for the unrest, posting on social media Monday, "Let’s get this straight: 1) Local law enforcement didn’t need help. 2) Trump sent troops anyway – to manufacture chaos and violence. 3) Trump succeeded. 4) Now things are destabilized and we need to send in more law enforcement just to clean up Trump’s mess."
Footage of the protests shows rioters spitting on and burning the American flag as well as assaulting police officers and burning cars. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
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Rachel del Guidice is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to rachel.delguidice@fox.com.