President Trump made the announcement on Truth Social on Wednesday that he’ll be withdrawing the National Guard from the cities of Chicago and Los Angeles in addition to Portland because crime in the areas “has been greatly reduced” because of the presence there and that the government troops may return in a “much different and stronger form” if crime rates rise again.
“The three cities are on the brink of collapse without federal support, as Trump posted when he wrote that Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago are ‘GONE’ without federal intervention.”
The action follows a series of legal and governmental challenges that restricted or stopped certain elements of these exercises, according to Reuters. Reuters stated that exercises by these guards began in June 2025 during protests related to immigration policies and challenges from mayors and governors belonging to the Democratic Party over federal interference.
There were also no troops on the streets of Chicago and Portland because of judicial orders, according to AP. The legal restrictions California imposed also led to the change of the operation strategy of the LA troops, according to the Associated Press.
According to SCOTUSblog, “The U.S. Supreme Court has appeared to sustain an injunction against deployment of those troops, at least as it affects Illinois, pending litigation.”
Trump did not provide crime statistics and a timeline in support of his claim that crime lessened because of the Guard’s presence.
