In a significant policy shift, former President Donald Trump has declared that he will cease efforts to deploy federal troops to several Democratic-led cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland. This announcement, made on Wednesday, follows a series of legal challenges that have hindered his plans to send National Guard members to these urban areas.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities.” However, it’s important to note that the National Guard’s role has been restricted, as they have not been allowed to engage in direct law enforcement activities, which are prohibited under U.S. law. Trump had not invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would permit the deployment of troops in response to civil unrest.
As of the announcement, approximately 300 National Guard members remained under federal control in Los Angeles and Chicago, with an additional 200 stationed in Portland. Their primary responsibilities have involved guarding federal buildings and supporting immigration enforcement, rather than active law enforcement.
City leaders in Portland and the state of Oregon welcomed the news, celebrating the potential end to Trump’s attempts to deploy National Guard troops in their jurisdictions. However, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek noted that she had not yet received any communication from the Trump administration regarding the return of federalized Oregon National Guard troops, with 100 soldiers still mobilized.
While Trump initially announced the troop withdrawal on New Year’s Eve, he warned that they could be redeployed if “crime begins to soar again.” Legal battles, including cases that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, had already restricted the administration’s ability to send troops to Portland, Chicago, or Los Angeles.
Governor Kotek and other officials pushed back against Trump’s assertions that the troop deployments had successfully reduced crime in Portland, as the National Guard had never been able to actively patrol the streets due to court orders. When asked about the timeline for the remaining federalized Oregon troops to return home, a Pentagon spokesperson referred inquiries to the White House.
