Gavin Newsom shuts highway section amid clash with White House over live-fire Marine exercise
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: A live-fire military display marking the US Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary brought one of Southern California’s busiest highways to a halt on Saturday, October 18, sparking a clash between Governor Gavin Newsom and the White House.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced the closure of a roughly 17 mile (27 km) stretch of Interstate 5, near Camp Pendleton in northwestern San Diego County.
The shutdown, in place from about 11 am to 3 pm, was prompted by plans to fire live artillery during the Marine Corps amphibious capabilities demonstration at Red Beach.
Governor Newsom sharply condemned the event, calling it “an absurd show of force” and “totally uncalled for.”
.@VP and @SLOTUS view a live-fire Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration at Red Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California — in celebration of the @USMC's 250th birthday. pic.twitter.com/Qy6ZFcsZUM
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 18, 2025
Gavin Newsom condemns event as dangerous
The Marine Corps said the event, attended by Vice President JD Vance, was to highlight the service’s joint air, land, and sea operations.
“The capabilities demonstration will feature integrated Navy and Marine Corps operations,” a Marine Corps statement said, asserting that “no public highways or transportation routes will be closed."
However, the CHP cited “safety risks and potential distractions to drivers” as reasons for the temporary closure.
Posting on social media, Gavin Newsom warned that “flying live rounds over a busy highway without coordination between state, federal, and local partners isn’t just wrong—it’s dangerous.”
This is a profoundly absurd show of force that could put Californians directly in harm’s way.
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) October 18, 2025
Flying live rounds over a busy highway without coordination between state, federal, and local partners isn't just wrong — it's dangerous. pic.twitter.com/irfg9SWuzY
Newsom accused the Trump administration of politicizing the military.
“Using our military to intimidate people you disagree with politically doesn’t make you look strong. It makes you look weak. It’s reckless, it’s disrespectful, and yet another action beneath the office of the presidency,” he wrote on X.
Further, he said, "Earlier this week, the White House denied the freeway near Camp Pendleton would need to be closed due to live munitions being fired over the freeway."
"But today, despite the WH’s claims and lack of transparency, California traffic and public safety experts have recommended temporarily closing the freeway to best protect the public. And now the White House is being fact-checked by Grok, the latest Pentagon approved AI tool," Newsom stated.
Earlier this week, the White House denied the freeway near Camp Pendleton would need to be closed due to live munitions being fired over the freeway. But today, despite the WH’s claims and lack of transparency, California traffic and public safety experts have recommended… https://t.co/bEEnZLzWrs
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 18, 2025
The confrontation comes amid a series of 'No Kings' rallies across the country, including several in California.
In a statement tied to those protests, Newsom urged calm and civic engagement, saying, “Use your voice. Act peacefully. Protect yourself and your community. There are no kings in the United States.”
Trump administration blames Newsom
A spokesperson for Vice President Vance, William Martin, dismissed the governor’s concerns as politically motivated.
“If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose the training exercises that ensure our Armed Forces remain the most lethal fighting force in the world, then he can go right ahead,” Martin said in a statement to The New York Times.
