Trump blames 'insurrectionists' for Los Angeles unrest

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Monday blamed "insurrectionists" for unrest in Los Angeles, after he sent in National Guard troops to quell protests against immigration raids.

"The people that are causing the problems are professional agitators and insurrectionists," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"They're bad people, they should be in jail," he added when asked about the clashes occurring in parts of the second biggest US city.

The Republican, who turns 79 on Saturday, did not give evidence of why the street protesters are insurrectionists.

Trump was returning to the White House after meeting with senior US officials and military officers at his Camp David presidential retreat. Before talking to reporters, he greeted workers at the site of a new flagpole he has ordered to be erected outside the White House.

Trump did not reply when asked several times by reporters whether he plans to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow the military to be used as a domestic police force.

The White House has previously said Trump relied on a seldom-used law, known as Title 10, to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles despite California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, saying the move was unnecessary, given the limited nature of the protests.

Trump lashed out at Newsom, who has been widely tipped as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, over the unrest.

"He's done a terrible job. Look, I like Gavin Newsom, he's a nice guy -- but he's grossly incompetent, everybody knows," Trump said.

Newsom dared Trump's border czar Tom Homan over the weekend to arrest him, after Homan said the governor and LA Mayor Karen Bass could face federal charges of trying to impede immigration agents.

"I would do it if I were Tom," Trump said when asked if Homan should arrest Newsom.