Vice President J.D. Vance is traveling to Los Angeles Friday to meet with Marines and officials supporting President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration enforcement actions in southern California. Vance is also scheduled to headline a Republican fundraising retreat.
The visit comes a day after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled a stay by a rogue district court judge barring President Trump from federalizing California National Guard troops to protect federal officers and property from pro-illegal immigration rioters in a lawsuit brought by California Governor Gavin Newsom (D).
Vance’s office issued a press release Friday morning announcing the trip. Times and locations were not announced, likely for security reasons after two weeks of violent protests that prompted Mayor Karen Bass (D) to impose a curfew in downtown L.A. that was lifted this Tuesday:
Vice President JD Vance to Visit Los Angeles, California
Today, June 20, 2025, Vice President JD Vance will travel to Los Angeles, California, where he will tour a multi-agency Federal Joint Operations Center, a Federal Mobile Command Center, meet with leadership and Marines, and deliver brief remarks.
NOTUS (via the Times of San Diego) reported on the fundraiser part of Vance’s trip (excerpt):
Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Los Angeles on Friday will have two purposes. First, Vance will meet with federal officials and Marines who are on the ground pushing back against protests in the city, and later, he will speak at the Republican National Committee’s annual Summer Retreat, according to an invitation obtained by NOTUS.
Vance, who has emerged as the main fundraiser for the Republican Party since ascending to the vice presidency earlier this year, will also make a separate fundraising stop in California this week for another event.
Contributions for the Summer Retreat event ranged from $15,000 to $445,000, according to a source familiar with the matter.
…In March, Vance was named the RNC’s finance chair, and he has emerged as a key fundraiser for the GOP. He’s hosted multiple large-dollar events and brought in millions for Republicans.
NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman posted a copy of the fundraiser invitation. The RNC retreat runs Friday through Sunday:
New: JD Vance will be attending the RNC’s Summer Retreat in LA today, according to an invite I obtained.
Contributions ranged from $15k to $445k pic.twitter.com/7BYoIoP0dx
— Reese Gorman (@reesejgorman) June 20, 2025
UPDATE: The office of Gov. Newsom expressed disappointment no meeting with Vance is planned, reported KNBC-TV (excerpt):
A statement from governor’s office indicated Vance’s visit Friday will likely not include a meeting with Newsom.
“The Governor would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Vice President in service to Californians,” said Newsom’s deputy director of communications Brandon Richards. “We’re always open to working together — which makes it all the more disappointing that the White House chose not to engage with us directly ahead of the visit. We’ve yet to receive any official notice of the Vice President’s trip — which, from what we understand, is focused on a high-dollar fundraiser.”
