President Donald Trump has announced that National Guard troops will be withdrawn from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, bringing an end to recent federal deployments in the three cities. The decision was shared in a social media post on Wednesday, though the president provided limited details about the timing and scope of the withdrawal.
The announcement comes roughly a week after the US Supreme Court allowed a lower court ruling to stand that blocked the administration’s use of National Guard forces in Chicago. The court said the federal government had not clearly established legal authority to deploy the military to enforce state laws in Illinois. Despite this, Trump did not reference the court decision when outlining his plan to remove the troops.
In his statement, Trump argued that the presence of National Guard forces had played a key role in reducing crime in the affected cities. He said the troops would be pulled out for now but suggested that federal forces could return in the future if crime levels rise again.
Trump wrote that Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland had been facing serious public safety challenges before the federal government intervened. He credited the deployment of Guard members with stabilizing conditions and said the administration would reassess the situation if circumstances change.
The deployments had been controversial from the outset, drawing legal challenges and criticism from state and local officials who questioned the federal government’s authority to activate National Guard units without state consent. Supporters of the move argued it was necessary to protect federal personnel and property, while critics said it risked undermining state sovereignty.
According to US Northern Command, approximately 300 Illinois National Guard members were activated in Chicago and around 100 Oregon National Guard troops were placed on duty in Portland. However, officials confirmed that those forces were not actively conducting operations because of the ongoing legal dispute and the Supreme Court’s involvement.
In California, about 100 National Guard troops had been assigned to a federal mission focused on protecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Northern Command said that mission was halted on December 15, pending legal review and further direction from the administration.
The Supreme Court’s action last week upheld a ruling by a federal judge that blocked the Chicago deployment. The judge found that the administration had not demonstrated a clear constitutional or statutory basis for using National Guard forces to carry out law enforcement functions in the state. While the ruling directly applied to Illinois, it also cast uncertainty over similar federal deployments elsewhere.
Trump’s announcement appeared to signal that the administration would comply with the court’s decision across multiple cities, including Portland and Los Angeles, even though those deployments were not all explicitly addressed by the ruling. Legal experts said the decision likely reflects an effort to avoid further court challenges while preserving the option of future federal action.
The president emphasized that the withdrawal does not mark a permanent end to federal involvement. He suggested that if crime rates increase, the administration could return with a different or stronger approach. However, he did not specify what form such future action might take or what legal authority would be used.
Local officials in the affected cities have previously expressed opposition to the deployments, saying public safety should be managed by local law enforcement in coordination with state authorities. Some city leaders argued that the presence of federal forces could escalate tensions rather than improve security.
At the same time, federal officials have maintained that the deployments were intended to protect federal facilities and personnel, not to replace local policing. The administration has repeatedly said it retains the right to act when it believes local governments are unable or unwilling to maintain order.
With the withdrawal now announced, attention is shifting to what comes next. Analysts say the decision highlights ongoing legal and political debates over the limits of presidential power in domestic security matters. It also underscores the complex relationship between federal authority and state control over National Guard forces.
No specific timetable has been released for the full withdrawal of troops, and the White House has not clarified whether any federal personnel will remain in support or advisory roles. Northern Command said it would follow directives from the Department of Defense as they are issued.
As the situation develops, further legal challenges or policy changes could emerge, particularly if the administration seeks to redeploy federal forces in the future. For now, the removal of National Guard troops marks a pause in one of the administration’s most closely watched domestic security actions.