I-5 stays open amid political clash over Marines' 250th birthday bash, JD Vance appearance at Camp Pendleton

I-5 to remain open during Marine exercise

There is a war of words going on over the closure of the 5 Freeway near Camp Pendleton this weekend.

The Interstate 5 corridor between Orange and San Diego counties has become the unlikely flashpoint in a fresh online feud between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration, all over a splashy U.S. Marine Corps celebration. 

The Marines are gearing up for their 250th birthday Saturday with a high-octane amphibious demonstration at Camp Pendleton's Red Beach, featuring amphibious vehicles storming the surf, aircraft buzzing overhead, Navy ships offshore and live-fire exercises. 

The event, expected to draw 15,000 Marines, sailors, veterans and families, will include speeches from Vice President J.D. Vance — a Marine veteran — and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

But what started as a salute to military heritage quickly devolved into partisan sniping on social media, fueled by rumors of a freeway shutdown that could snarl 80,000 daily vehicles. 

Newsom lit the fuse Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, blasting the event as a "vanity parade." "Donald Trump and J.D. Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships ... is how you respect the military," the Democratic governor posted. "Put aside your vanity parade and pay our troops instead."

His office initially weighed closing stretches of the freeway itself, citing safety worries over reports of Navy vessels firing live ordnance across the highway toward the base. But by Thursday, state officials backed off after the Marines issued a firm denial: No public highways or transportation routes would close.

The Marines' statement described the demonstration as routine training, not a spectacle warranting traffic disruptions. Live-fire exercises with high-explosive munitions are slated through Sunday, but they'll stick to base roads and ranges, with a noise advisory for nearby residents.

Vance's communications director, William Martin, fired back on X, labeling Newsom's claims "complete fake news." "The Marine Corps said they are NOT shutting down the I-5 highway and that the event at Camp Pendleton is a training exercise," Martin wrote. He added a jab at Democrats: "Also, President Trump IS paying the troops despite Chuck Schumer’s efforts to hold their salaries hostage."

Newsom expressed relief at the clarification but doubled down on gripes about coordination. "We were under the understanding they were going to close I-5 to 80,000 vehicles Friday, tomorrow and Saturday. They seemed to have backed off on that," Newsom said in a press conference Thursday.

Marine veteran Hal Kempfer, a retired intelligence officer with multiple tours at Pendleton, called the politicization "disappointing." "Whatever Governor Newsom was talking about with firing missiles over the 5 or whatever, those missiles are only in his mind," Kempfer said.

Pendleton's vibrations are nothing new for South Orange County locals, who shrugged off the drama amid booming artillery in the distance. "I don’t think it’s a big issue. We always feel them training and stuff, with the bombs they throw in camp," said one San Juan Capistrano resident.

Others weren't so neutral. "Whatever Trump does is [expletive]." Another blamed Newsom: "Look what Newsom has done to this state?" While a third opted out: "I stay out of it. Best to stay out of it. Don’t even say anything."

The timing adds another layer: "No Kings" protests against Trump are slated nationwide Saturday, overlapping with the beach bash. Post-demonstration festivities will shift to a public beach party in Del Mar.

The spat underscores broader tensions between California and Washington, from wildfires to immigration.