Plan to fire artillery over a California highway during JD Vance base visit irks governor
A plan to fire live artillery rounds at a major Southern California highway as part of a military demonstration attended by Vice President JD Vance has drawn strong objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said safety concerns forced him to close a 17-mile stretch of the highway.
“The president is putting his ego ahead of his responsibilities with this disregard for public safety,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Firing live ammunition on a busy highway is not only wrong, it’s dangerous.”
Vance and U.S. Navy officials at Camp Pendleton said there was nothing dangerous about the artillery exercise and there was no need to disrupt traffic on Interstate 5, which is the main highway along the Pacific Coast between San Diego and Los Angeles.
Republican Vice President and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are traveling to Camp Pendleton in North San Diego County to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps, and troops will perform a show of amphibious vehicles and aircraft as well as a beach landing demonstration.
The state had considered closing the highway earlier in the week, but the U.S. Marines said Thursday the event would take place on approved training ranges and adhere to established safety protocols.
State transportation officials ultimately made the decision to close the highway after practice shootings on the highway Friday evening and a request from event organizers for signage along the highway reading “Aerial Fire in Progress.”
The California Highway Patrol said a section of the highway would be closed Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time, although travelers should expect delays before, during and after the event.
“This is all due to the military event ordered by the White House, which for the safety of the public we have to close the highway because they are sending live orders down the highway,” California Department of Transportation spokesman Matt Rocco said.
The Associated Press has contacted Vance’s office and the U.S. Marines for comment.
In a statement to the New York Times, a Vance spokesperson, William Martin, said Newsom was misleading the public about the security risk. He said it was routine training.
“If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose training exercises that ensure our armed forces are the deadliest and deadliest fighting force in the world, then he can move forward,” Martin said.
Rocco said the I-5 closure could cost those commuting between San Diego and Los Angeles up to two additional hours. The highway carries 80,000 travelers and $94 million in freight through the corridor daily, according to the governor’s office. Passenger rail services paralleling I-5 were also canceled for the afternoon.
