Trump backs off National Guard deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland
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President Trump at Joint Base Andrews on Dec. 17. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump on Wednesday announced he's dropping his push for National Guard troops in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, saying crime in those cities has been "greatly reduced."
The big picture: The Trump administration has fought in court to carry out controversial federal troop deployments against local leaders' wishes, spurring massive protests in response.
Driving the news: "We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!" Trump said on Truth Social.
- He added that the three cities would be "GONE" if his administration hadn't intervened.
- "It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???"
- The White House referred Axios to Trump's post when asked for further comment.
What they're saying: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tagged the president into a post on X, saying: "About time [Trump] admitted defeat."
- He added, "We've said it from day one: the federal takeover of California's National Guard is illegal."
- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said on X, "Donald Trump's lying again," adding that his state fought back against his attempts to militarize U.S. cities.
- "Now Trump is forced to stand down," he said.
- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield (D) said in a statement, "Portland never saw troops on its streets because the law prevailed, and similar efforts across the country have faced legal setbacks."
State of play: Trump's decision to pull back the Guard comes after months of legal challenges stymieing his efforts to deploy troops in several U.S. cities.
- He previously deployed National Guard members to Los Angeles after immigration-related protests in the city escalated.
- He also ordered troops to Portland, Oregon and Chicago, though they were never permitted to patrol city streets amid legal challenges.
- The Supreme Court last week rejected Trump's request to deploy the guard to the Chicago area in a major blow to the administration's attempts to cut down on illegal immigration.
What we're watching: Though Trump has been legally barred from deploying troops to certain cities, it remains unclear if the president would consider invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act to bypass court rulings.
Go deeper: National Guard deploys to New Orleans
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and context throughout, and with comment from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield.
