Vance Watches Marines Display After Clash Over Live Fire

Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended a military showcase at Camp Pendleton on Saturday, following a dispute between the Trump administration and California officials regarding the Marine Corps’ plan to fire live artillery shells over a section of Interstate 5.

“The President is putting his ego over responsibility with this disregard for public safety,” said Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement. “Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong—it’s dangerous.”

Marine officials and Vice President Vance, however, rejected that claim, insisting the exercise posed no threat to public safety. They emphasized that all firing zones were well within established safety parameters.

“The Marines have conducted similar exercises safely for decades,” a Camp Pendleton spokesperson said. “There’s no reason for alarm or for traffic disruptions.”

Despite that, state authorities temporarily closed a 17-mile stretch of Interstate 5—the main north-south artery along California’s Pacific coast—on Saturday morning. The road reopened around noon, according to the Los Angeles Times. The California Highway Patrol planned controlled traffic breaks later in the day as the live-fire demonstrations began.

“It’s not like anyone’s in danger of being struck,” said Oceanside Police spokesperson John McKean. “It’s just loud booms that might startle some drivers.”

The event, held in northern San Diego County, marked the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. It featured displays of amphibious vehicles, aircraft, and a simulated beach assault. The freeway closure followed practice firings over the highway on Friday evening and a request from event organizers for signage warning motorists that “Overhead fire [is] in progress.”

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