Los Angeles (California) [US], August 2: AFP yesterday (August 1) quoted an announcement from the Pentagon saying that 1,350 National Guard members will be withdrawn from a security mission in Los Angeles, California (USA).
The security mission began on June 7 following protests against immigration raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with nearly 5,000 National Guard members and US Marines deployed.
After the situation temporarily stabilized, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on July 15 that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines from Los Angeles. Mr. Parnell said on July 31 that after Secretary Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of an additional 1,350 National Guard members, 250 members would continue to protect federal government buildings and employees in Los Angeles.
In another development, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on July 31 that US President Donald Trump will build a giant ballroom at the White House, according to AFP. Ms. Leavitt said the new ballroom will be more than 8,000 square meters and can accommodate 650 people. The budget for this project is 200 million USD, paid by President Trump himself and some unnamed sponsors, according to Ms. Leavitt.
Ms. Leavitt added that construction on the new ballroom will begin in September and is expected to be completed before President Trump's second term ends in January 2029. This will be one of the largest projects at the White House in more than a century, according to AFP.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
