Eagles fans are getting dragged into Trump and Gavin Newsom’s feud over the immigration protests in LA
Once again, Philadelphia’s deep and splendid love of its sports teams is besmirched by outsiders.
Philadelphia somehow got dragged into a battle 3,000 miles away between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump’s administration over immigration protests in Los Angeles.
After the administration deployed the California National Guard — and threatened to also include Marines (which were formally deployed Monday from the base at Twentynine Palms) — Newsom’s press office got into a social media war with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on X.
Hegseth posted a photo Sunday of protesters standing near what appears to be a car on fire in a Los Angeles street.
Are you going to send in the Marines the next time the Philadelphia Eagles win, too? https://t.co/MYjAnNhFBd pic.twitter.com/WEaAWpCfoL
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) June 8, 2025
He wrote, “Another peaceful protest brought to you by @GavinNewsom.”
Then, Newsom’s press office shot back at Philly’s expense: “Are you going to send in the Marines the next time the Philadelphia Eagles win, too?”
It was accompanied by Eagles fans standing near a fire in a Philadelphia street, celebrating a win. It’s unclear whether the photo was after the team’s Super Bowl victory in February — or another game.
Earlier Sunday, Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s communications director, was quoted in a Fox News article that morning as saying, “LA? Have these geniuses ever seen what happens when the Eagles win a playoff game?”
Yikes!
Once again, Philadelphia’s deep and splendid love of its sports teams is besmirched by outsiders. (Although, to be fair, we have been known to set a fire or two after a major win.)
Neither Newsom’s office, nor Eagles team officials commented Monday afternoon.
The photo appears to show 12th and Market Streets looking northwest, according to calculations by Matt Stamm, director of the Multimedia Information and Security Lab.
Newsom said Monday that he was suing Trump, adding that the president had “illegally acted to federalize the National Guard,” according to CBS News.
“Commandeering a state’s National Guard without consulting the governor of that state is illegal and immoral,” Newsom said, according to CBS News.
Troops had been sent to Los Angeles on Sunday during protests that started after the Trump administration began immigration enforcement operations in the area on Friday.