A vehicle from Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade was one of several hit by a shrapnel during a military parade in California on Saturday.
The detonation took place above Interstate 5 in San Diego County, despite state governor Gavin Newsom warning the Trump administration about the dangers of using live munitions at Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary.
Although no one was injured, the blast caused shrapnel to rain down to the ground, damaging several vehicles including the motorcycle belonging to Vance’s protection detail. According to a report by The New York Times, officers heard a sound similar to pebbles hitting the vehicles before noticing pieces of shrapnel as big as two inches long on the ground and a dent on their car.
After the explosion, Newsom tore into the government on social media in a post which included a photograph of the heavy artillery used in the military show.
“The shrapnel that hit CHP (California Highway Patrol) vehicles over the weekend from Trump and Vance’s military live-munitions demonstration came from this ordnance. It’s no small thing,” Newsom’s press office wrote on social media after the explosion. “This is what the White House thought was fine to fly over civilians on a major freeway.”
He also reposted his office’s comments on his own account before taking another swipe at the government.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show,” Newsom wrote. “If you want to honor our troops, open the government and pay them.”
The California Highway Patrol also weighed in on the military exercise in a public statement, with Tony Coroanado, the CHP Border Division Chief, describing the spectacle as both “unusual” and “concerning.”
“It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway,” he added. “As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”
However, ahead of the training exercise, William Martin, the vice president’s communications director, had claimed that Newsom wanted people to think the exercise was dangerous while claiming that it was “routine.”
“The Marine Corps says it’s an established and safe practice,” he told The New York Times. “Newsom wants people to think this is an absurd show of force. The Marine Corps says it’s part of routine training at Camp Pendleton.”
Similarly, Republican representative Darrell Issa accused Newsom of “overruling” the Marine Corps days before the 155-millimeter shell exploded over the highway.
The California Governor closed a portion of the highway before the training exercise, over concerns about public safety.
Newsom, no stranger to clashing with members of Trump’s administration on social media, now says that the government owes an “apology” to both Californians and Americans.
“You accused the Governor of overreacting when he closed a portion of the freeway to protect the public,” his press office wrote in a reply to a post by Issa.
“And now we learn … live ordinance detonated early, striking a vehicle on a closed portion of the highway during the event.
“Without a doubt an apology is owed — to not just Californians, but all Americans.”
