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Vice President JD Vance waves as he boards Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/Pool via AP)

A plan to fire live artillery shells over a major Southern California highway as part of a military showcase attended by Vice President JD Vance has drawn strong objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom , who said safety concerns forced him to close a 17-mile (27 kilometers) portion of the interstate.

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

Vance and U.S. Marine officials at Camp Pendleton have said there is nothing unsafe about the artillery exercise and no need to disrupt

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