The US media has come under fire from allies of Donald Trump for referring to the violent unrest on the streets of Los Angeles as “protests”.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that the US president had ordered the National Guard to the city to “quell immigration protests”.

Lauren Boebert, a Republican congresswoman, then wrote on X: “To the media reporting on the situation in Los Angeles. The word you’re looking for is ‘insurrection’.

“Not protests. Definitely not ‘mostly peaceful protests’. Insurrection!”