President Donald Trump is stepping back from one of his most controversial policies, withdrawing National Guard troops from three major cities led by Democrats after facing criticism, legal defeats, and doubts about his authority to deploy them in the first place.
In a post on Truth Social, the president stated that the federal government is “removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland,” while claiming that their presence was the reason “CRIME has been greatly reduced.”
“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, and ONLY by that fact,” Trump wrote.
He added a familiar warning, suggesting that these cities would struggle without him, hinting that federal forces might return later “perhaps in a much different and stronger form,” if crime rises again.
“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,” he added.
Trump’s withdrawal follows a series of legal setbacks that undermined his attempts to federalize troops and place them in Democratic cities. He promoted this move as a way to tackle rising crime and disorder.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a notable criticism of Trump with an unsigned order blocking the deployment in Illinois, stating the administration had not proven a valid legal basis to use the military there. “At this preliminary stage,” the court said, “the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.”
This ruling focused on Chicago, in the Democratic-controlled state of Illinois, led by Gov. JB Pritzker, one of Trump’s most prominent political opponents.
In Portland, another court case weakened Trump’s claims months earlier. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut blocked the federal deployment there in October, dismissing assertions that the city was in chaos. Her ruling called Trump’s justification “untethered to facts” and reminded everyone where American power should stop. “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law,” Immergut wrote.
With courts and local leaders opposing him, Trump’s Wednesday announcement felt less like a strategic move and more like a concession disguised as a victory. Reports indicated that the pullback followed growing legal challenges and doubts about the necessity of the Guard’s presence. Additionally, recent reports suggested that legal issues had already limited the deployments, making Trump’s announcement look like an effort to manage the perception of a forced retreat.
This situation revived a nickname Trump dislikes. Earlier this year, “TACO,” which stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out,” gained traction after several high-profile reversals, and his post on Wednesday added to that narrative, showing a tough stance followed by a retreat when met with backlash.
Trump previously threatened to deploy troops to New York City but softened his position after a surprisingly positive meeting with then-elect New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, later clarifying he would only send forces “if they need it.”
Trump didn’t back down when two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near the Farragut West metro station in Washington in November. The question is whether voters will see him as a protector claiming credit or as a president waving the white flag and repositioning it as a win.
