California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla is asking the Department of Defense to explain President Donald Trump’s recent declaration that the U.S. military staged an incursion into the Golden State to take control of federally operated infrastructure and increase water deliveries.
In a Tuesday letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Padilla asked for specifics about what units of the U.S. Armed Forces participated in the alleged incident and what “emergency powers” the president allegedly utilized.
“Clarity and transparency on these matters are crucial to ensure that the public is properly informed and that any actions comply with federal laws governing the use of the U.S. military within the United States,” Padilla wrote.
Since returning to the White House last week, Trump has focused intensely on increasing water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to Southern California, where wildfires have decimated portions of Los Angeles.
