I-5 Freeway shut Down for Marine Artillery Exercise โคSparks Political Clash
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- A large-scale artillery exercise conducted by the U.S.Marines at Camp Pendleton on Fridayโ forced the complete closureโข of Interstate 5,a major transportation artery in Southern California,igniting a political dispute involving California Governor โฃGavin Newsom and the White House. โThe closure, impacting tens of thousands of commuters,โข stemmed from โคa โscheduled live-fire โฃexhibition involving M777 howitzerโค cannons firing west to east of the freeway,โ beginning at approximately 1:30 p.m.local time.
The Marinesโ conductโค artillery exercises nearly every week, utilizing systems ranging from High โฃMobility Air Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to M777 howitzers, according to Capt. dreibelbis.Live-fire training occurs regularly at both the battery and small-unit โคlevels,with large-scale exercisesโ taking place twice annuallyโ atโฃ the regimental โlevel. The M777 howitzer has been in use by the โMarines sinceโค 2005 and has seen combatโค deployment, including operationsโ in Syria.
“This amphibious demonstration is what Marines and Sailors train for every day,” Capt. Dreibelbis stated. “Weeks of purposeful planning and rehearsals ensured success at every phase of execution, โunderscoring the Navy-Marine Corpsโ team’s ability to safely conduct โcomplex โamphibious operations.”
However, theโฃ freeway shutdownโข drew swift criticism โขfrom California Rep. Mike Levin,โ a Democrat representing the district encompassing Camp Pendleton. In a post on socialโ media, Levin asserted that public safety andโ theโ Marine Corps’ reputation were “far moreโค important than the political agendas of J.D. Vance or Pete Hegseth,” โฃadvocating forโค a balance between โฃhonoring the military and โขensuring community wellbeing.
San Diego County Supervisor โคJim Desmond, โa Republican representing Camp Pendleton and surrounding โฃareas, also voiced concerns on social media, criticizing the situation as indicative of a lack of accountability and planning. “No accountability, no โขplanning – just finger-pointing while everyday people sit in traffic, miss work, and watch their plans fall apart,” Desmond stated.
The incident has quickly becomeโค entangled in broader political โฃtensions, with initial reportsโฃ suggesting โฃa connectionโ to a dispute between Governor Newsom and the Whiteโ House regarding military readiness and resource allocation. Further details are emerging as the situation develops.
