Trump Withdraws National Guard From Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Says Forces Will Return If 'Crime Begins To Soar'

President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland on Wednesday. This decision comes in the wake of legal challenges and setbacks faced by his administration.

Trump, in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, said that the National Guard would be pulled out from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland.

Trump Called Deployments Crucial

Local leaders and Democrats criticized the deployments, arguing they were unnecessary and an example of federal overreach, according to a Reuters report. They claimed that isolated incidents were exaggerated to justify the troop presence.

Despite the criticisms, Trump insisted that the deployments were crucial to reducing crime and protecting federal property.

"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," Trump said in his post.

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Forces Might Return If Crime Rate Rises

Trump noted that the presence of the National Guard had led to a significant decrease in crime rates in these cities. However, he warned that federal forces might return if crime rates rise again.

"We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again – Only a question of time!" Trump added in the post.

This announcement was made just before a federal appellate court ruled that California National Guard troops must be returned to Governor Gavin Newsom‘s control.

The U.S. Supreme Court had previously blocked Trump’s attempt to deploy troops in Illinois, undermining his legal justification for similar actions in other states. The court emphasized that federal control over National Guard troops is likely only applicable in “exceptional” situations.

Following Trump’s announcement, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson shared data indicating a significant drop in violent crime in 2025, marking the lowest levels in over a decade. Meanwhile, military officials have been gradually reducing deployments amid ongoing litigation.

Additionally, a federal appellate court had mandated the withdrawal of California National Guard troops from Los Angeles, marking a pivotal moment in the legal battle between California and the Trump administration.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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