Published On 19/10/2025
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Last update: 10:21 (Mecca time)
The US authorities closed a major highway in California yesterday, Saturday, for several hours, to conduct military exercises with live ammunition in which the US Marine Corps participated, causing a stifling traffic jam.
The closure of the highway, which connects the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, extended for 27 kilometers, leading to almost complete paralysis of traffic in the region.
This measure comes as part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US Marine Corps, in a huge military parade attended by J.D. Vance, Vice President Donald Trump.
The show included the flight of fighters, the participation of amphibious ships, and the simulation of explosions in a mock village, in addition to landing operations of naval forces from helicopters in the Pacific Ocean.
Although the US Navy confirmed that the maneuvers “were carried out in safe conditions and under complete control,” the event sparked a wave of sharp criticism, especially with live ammunition being fired over a crowded highway.
“Trump puts his ego above the safety of citizens.”
For his part, California Governor Gavin Newsom, known for his opposition to Trump, said that what happened was a “dangerous violation of public safety,” criticizing the decision to close a vital road for a military parade.
“The president is putting his ego above responsibility with this disregard for public safety,” Newsom added in a statement. “Firing live ammunition on a busy highway is not only wrong, it is dangerous.”
On the other hand, Vance defended the maneuvers, stressing that the Trump administration had restored respect to the armed forces, specifically the Marine Corps, away from what he described as “woke ideological priorities” that had weakened the military establishment in the past.
“We are here to celebrate the strength of our armed forces, and to affirm that this administration supports soldiers, not political slogans,” Vance said in his speech during the event.
The controversy was not limited to the maneuvers only, as the event coincided with millions of demonstrators taking to the streets of several American cities, protesting against the Trump administration’s strict policies, especially with regard to the immigration issue and minority rights.
Last June, Trump ordered the sending of National Guard forces to Los Angeles, to support the implementation of large-scale raids against immigrants and to suppress local protests, a decision that was met with harsh criticism from Newsom and local officials.