Kevin O’Leary Slams California Chaos [WATCH]

Businessman and “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary weighed in Wednesday on the continued anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, describing the situation as a “war zone” and warning of long-term consequences for local small businesses.

Speaking during an appearance on Fox Business’ Varney & Co., O’Leary expressed concern over the impact the unrest is having on entrepreneurs in the city. He said the damage goes far beyond broken windows or vandalized storefronts.

“If you’re a small business… and you see these images of windows being smashed, cars burnt, baseball bats on someone’s property, this is not good management of a state, obviously,” O’Leary said. “I’m not going down there to buy anything, nobody is.”

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O’Leary, who serves as chairman of O’Leary Ventures, noted that the financial disruption to businesses is often worse than the physical destruction, as the unrest has caused potential customers to stay away entirely.

“So your business is massively disrupted, even if they haven’t smashed your windows,” he added.

“And that may take a long time to recover from if you’re a dry cleaner, if you are a restaurant, if you are an auto repair company. It’s a war zone.”

Riots erupted in Los Angeles last Friday following what was falsely reported as federal immigration enforcement actions carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Border Czar Tom Homan clarified today that the so-called “ICE raids,” which sparked riots in LA, were tied to criminal investigations involving various offenses, including a money-laundering conspiracy linked to cartel activity, not routine immigration enforcement actions. pic.twitter.com/vb3vsdDHXN

— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) June 9, 2025

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The demonstrations escalated into violence, with video and photographs from the scene showing vehicles on fire, property destruction, and clashes between law enforcement and protesters.

In response, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and an additional 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in an effort to restore order and secure federal buildings and personnel.

The move was met with opposition from California’s Democrat leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Governor Newsom accused the White House of overstepping its bounds, arguing that the federal response infringes on the state’s rights.

“The decision to send in troops is a brazen abuse of power,” Newsom said on Tuesday.

He also stated that protesters who engage in violence would be prosecuted, while maintaining his position that federal involvement has “inflamed” the situation.

Mayor Bass has echoed similar concerns, suggesting that the deployment of federal forces is escalating tension rather than resolving the crisis.

Asked on Varney & Co. whether President Trump or Governor Newsom is winning politically in the midst of the unrest, O’Leary declined to pick a side, instead focusing on the broader impact on California residents.

“The people of California [are losing],” he said.

“They should really look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘What the hell are we doing?’ I’m here, and I’m looking outside saying, ‘This is not the L.A. I knew 20 years ago. It just isn’t.’”

This place is a war zone. That’s what it is. You see these images of windows being smashed, cars burnt, baseball bats on someone’s property, this is not good management of a state. The repercussions are both political, and for small business this is horrific. No one is going down… pic.twitter.com/oOZ5stsQ9S

— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) June 11, 2025

The situation in Los Angeles remains active as law enforcement continues efforts to contain the violence and prevent further damage.

Federal officials have not announced how long the National Guard and Marine units will remain deployed in the area.

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