OCEANSIDE (KGTV) — A celebration scheduled for this weekend at Camp Pendleton has turned into a national debate between California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration over potential closures of Interstate 5.
For its 250th birthday, the Marines are planning demonstrations by air, land, and sea at Red Beach to showcase the formidable power they've built over the last two centuries.
On Wednesday, Newsom raised concerns about live-fire demonstrations near Interstate 5 at Camp Pendleton.
That's what prompted initial concerns about closing the major freeway. Officials said it had the potential to affect the 80,000 vehicles that travel through that area daily.
However, while a Marine Corps press release from October 15, 2025, stated there would be an amphibious live fire demonstration, it never mentioned that any live rounds would be fired near or over Interstate 5. The release states that a detailed risk assessment showed no highways needed to be closed. The press release's exact wording was the following:
All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed. In advance of the training event and demonstration, we conducted a detailed risk assessment. All participants will be briefed, medical, fire, and emergency assets will be on site, and multiple rehearsals will be conducted. All air, surface, and ground movements are scripted and rehearsed in accordance with standard operating procedures and established safety checklists.
Thursday morning, the governor's office wrote ABC 10News, saying, "Now that I-5 will stay open, we hope the Trump administration applies that same common sense to reopening the federal government."
Retired Marine Corps intelligence officer Hal Kempfer, who was stationed multiple tours at Camp Pendleton, explained what people can expect to see for the Marine Corps' 250th Birthday.
"We do this stuff all the time," Kempfer said. "It's an amphibious demonstration. That's all we're doing. You'll have artillery and tanks, you bet. But I don't even think they're going to fire any missiles. The reason is that when they do these things, we have a lot of aircraft that are flying in and out. It would be too much of a safety risk," Kempfer said.
Kempfer also said Marines are trained to move administratively under I-5 away from Red Beach during these operations.
"There's no threat to that corridor at all," Kempfer said.
Vice President JD Vance will also attend Saturday's festivities.
After the demonstrations at Camp Pendleton wrap up, the Marine Corps said it will hold a beach bash in Del Mar. The event will include food vendors, music, static displays, and family activities.
