U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta, who serves California’s 19th district and has held the seat since 2017, voiced criticism on October 8, 2025, regarding the federal administration’s use of National Guard troops. In a series of posts on his official social media account, Panetta raised concerns about the deployment’s cost and its impact on both service members and local law enforcement.
In one post dated October 8, 2025, Panetta stated: “So, beyond wasting our taxpayer dollars and the time and paychecks of our National Guardsmen and their employers back home, this Administration is openly and enthusiastically abusing its powers with this provocation.”
He further questioned the allocation of resources in another post from the same date: “The money lost on the activated National Guardsmen who are relegated to picking up trash, spreading mulch, and taking selfies, could be invested in serious crime-fighting tactics in those cities that need federal help.”
Panetta also addressed what he described as political motivations behind the deployments: “Using our Armed Forces as a prop and show of force to dunk on Democratic mayors and fulfill Steven Miller’s deportation agenda pushes the boundaries of our laws, brings down the morale of our troops, and hurts long-term goals of local law enforcement.”
Jimmy Panetta succeeded Sam Farr in Congress in 2017. He was born in Washington D.C. in 1969 and currently resides in Carmel Valley. His educational background includes a BA from University of California, Davis (1991), followed by a JD from Santa Clara University (1996).
