The California governor said the troops had been left without food or water in federal buildings

Hundreds of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles under Donald Trump’s orders are reportedly idle and without clear directives, California Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed, calling the situation a political stunt.

The controversy stems from Trump’s decision to send 2,000 Guard troops to Los Angeles over the weekend in response to protests against aggressive ICE operations. On Monday, Newsom said he was informed another 2,000 were en route, even though most of the first wave had not been mobilized.

Only about 300 have been actively deployed, while the rest remained in federal buildings “without orders,” according to Newsom. The governor said the troops had been left without food or water, and accused the White House of misusing military resources to bolster Trump’s image.