Happy Wednesday, Democrats. Welcome back to our #TrumpCheck series, the LACDP's weekly newsletter that holds the Trump administration accountable for its lies, deception, self-serving actions, and crimes. 

This weekend saw one of the largest displays of sheer strength and awe-inspiring Americana in our country's history. And Trump had his weak little parade, too. 

Last week's ICE raids and the hovering military presence in Los Angeles have motivated Angelenos like never before. Impassioned citizens took action all across the region, from Santa Monica to Claremont to Catalina Island to Palmdale, every corner of the county stood up and showed up. 

Right-wing commentators and even Trump's team have already been rushing to respond to this weekend's 'No Kings' protests that took place in over 2,000 cities on Saturday. The only person who hasn't had anything to say yet? Trump himself. So, in case he needs the facts, let's dive right into the lies they are using to deny the power of civilian protest. 

• White House Communications Director (and former spokesman for the mixed martial arts league Ultimate Fight Championship) Steven Cheung said on Saturday in a post on X that the weekend's "so-called No Kings protests have been a complete and utter failure with minuscule attendance."

FACT: Independent data analysis by G. Elliot Morris, the former director of data analytics and FiveThirtyEight at ABC News, found that roughly "4-6 million people protested Trump across the U.S." on Saturday. 

This equals between 1%- 2% of the US population, making Saturday the largest civil demonstration in American history.

• Many Angelenos came out in such great numbers because of the devastating ICE kidnappings and overwhelming military presence that has been overtaking our home. Trump's motivation behind the immigration enforcement is apparently financial, to protect jobs for Americans; "they're taking your jobs! Every job produced in this country over the last two years has gone to illegal aliens," he said in a 2024 campaign appearance. 

FACT: The mass deportations of undocumented workers in Los Angeles are expected to cost the California economy more than $275 million in loss of revenue and tax dollars, according to a new study by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Markets and shops in Los Angeles sit empty, street vendors are missing, and small business owners call the economic fallout "worse than COVID."

• On Thursday, when asked about the 'No Kings' protest, Trump only had to offer that "I don’t feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get things approved,” as reported by TIME. 

FACT: In his first term, Trump falsely claimed that the Constitution gave him "the right to do whatever I want" because of his status as President. If that didn't sound regal enough, Trump's Truth Social post in which he calls himself an actual king is still available.

Lest we forget, when the official White House X account posted an AI-generated image of Trump in a crown, with the caption "LONG LIVE THE KING." You sure you don't feel like one, Donald? 

This weekend showed how powerful Americans can be when we stand together and speak up. The United States is not a monarchy, and we have no king.

However you show up in your community this week, donating to a mutual aid fund for detainees, reporting an ICE sighting, circulating 'Know Your Rights' information, planning your sign for the July 17th 'No Kings' protest, or simply checking in on your neighbors, it takes all of us to fight Trump's authoritarian attack on our home.

The first step in fighting back against the Trump administration is setting the record straight; correcting misinformation is a job for us all. If you had this email forwarded, you can sign up for the #TrumpCheck newsletter here. 

Stay safe, stay strong, and keep up the good fight, Democrats. 

We'll be back at defending the truth next week. Until then, stay tuned to our social media channels, linked below, for updates on the LACDP's fight against Trump.

In Solidarity,  

Team LACDP   

Dear Alaina,

We would like to say 'happy Thursday,' but just 'Thursday' it is, as our local community is still under a cruel and unfair attack by the Trump administration. Welcome back to our #TrumpCheck series, the LACDP's weekly newsletter that holds the Trump administration accountable for its lies, deception, self-serving actions, and crimes. 

Let's start with a brief update of the last few days; on Friday, June 6th, ICE rolled out massive raids starting in Westlake, just north of Downtown LA. By 3 P.M., anti-ICE protestors had established themselves in front of a Fashion District warehouse where ICE was conducting another raid on apparel workers leaving their jobs. SEIU-CA President David Huerta was 'brutalized' by ICE agents and arrested, and his detention expanded the protests, which were already demanding that the detained immigrants and David be released. 

Protests continued throughout the weekend, culminating in a rally in Gloria Molina Grand Park on Monday. A group of rioters looted an Apple Store on Monday night, and another group set at least five self-driving cars on fire. Trump deployed the National Guard on Saturday against Governor Gavin Newsom's wishes. Tensions have been high between the two elected leaders since.

With that background, let's go into the lies that the Trump administration has been spreading about the protests and military occupation of Los Angeles. 

• An X post from the White House account on Tuesday claims that the Trump administration followed "every rule" when it came to deploying the National Guard. Trump is quoted as saying, "I waited for governors to say, 'Send in the National Guard'. They wouldn't do it ... I said to myself, if that stuff happens again, we've got to make faster decisions."

FACT: A statement from the office of Governor Newsom explains that "The law the President cited to take over a state guard requires the Governor’s approval." This makes Trump's solo activation of the military illegal, but he seems to already know that. Trump himself said in 2020 that "We can't call in the National Guard unless we are requested by a governor." 

• Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and right-wing radio conspiracy theorist Alex Jones have each shared footage of destruction in Los Angeles, including burning police cars. In an act of literary brilliance, Ted Cruz commented, "This…is…not…peaceful."

And one other truth....

• At 12:40 AM on June 6th, in the early morning hours, Elon Musk posted in a now-deleted X message that "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public."

FACT: By 11 AM that same day, ICE raids had begun in Westlake.  While reporting on the protests and ICE raids, political commentator Jon Stewart said on Monday's The Daily Show, "The unrest in LA is a predictable outcome...what's it meant to distract from?"

Epstein and Trump have a well-documented history together, with Epstein quoted as saying 'I was Donald Trump's closest friend' before his 2019 death. 

Regardless of the racist or political motives behind the ICE raids and militaristic presence in LA, the attacks on our friends and neighbors are disheartening and frightening. Whether you are on the streets protesting peacefully, donating to a mutual aid fund for detainees, reporting an ICE sighting, circulating 'Know Your Rights' information, or simply checking in on your neighbors, it takes all of us to fight Trump's authoritarian attack on our home.

The first step in fighting back against the Trump administration is setting the record straight; correcting misinformation is a job for us all. If you had this email forwarded to you, you can sign up for the #TrumpCheck newsletter here. 

Stay safe, stay strong, and keep up the good fight, Democrats. 

We'll be back at defending the truth next week. Until then, stay tuned to our social media channels, linked below, for updates on the LACDP's fight against Trump.

In Solidarity,  

Team LACDP

LACDP Chair Mark Ramos' statement following the forcible removal of Senator Alex Padilla from Secretary Noem's Press Conference