After months of controversy surrounding the deployment of federal troops in Democratic-led states, Donald Trump has decided to withdraw National Guard troops from three major cities. The president announced that the government will remove troops from Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Portland, Oregon.
Trump announced on Truth Social on December 31, 2025, that although crime rates in these cities had dropped significantly following the deployment of the military, he would still withdraw the troops. However, the president also indicated that the move could be temporary and that troops could be redeployed if crime rates rise.
The POTUS wrote, “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. We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again – Only a question of time!”
The Trump administration began sending National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities in June 2025. The government said federal enforcement was required to combat protesters and crack down on illegal immigration.
The move was criticized as unconstitutional by many, as it appeared the federal government was misusing its authority to exert control over opposition-led states. Since the deployment was ordered, the Republican-led administration has faced lawsuits from the affected states.
On December 23, Trump faced a major setback when the Supreme Court sided with the Illinois government and rejected the president’s order to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago.
While the administration argued that troops were necessary to maintain law and order in the state, the court ruled against the bid, stating, “At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.”
After Trump announced that he would recall troops from the three cities, a federal appellate court issued another order, ruling that control of troops in California must be transferred to Gov. Gavin Newsom
We’ve long known the federalization of @TheCalGuard is illegal.
This admission by Trump and his occult cabinet members means this illegal intimidation tactic will finally come to an end.
We look forward to the Ninth Circuit officially ruling — returning @TheCalGuard to state… pic.twitter.com/w19L2KAmEN
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) December 31, 2025
Newsom then seized the opportunity to criticize the president. He wrote on X, “This admission by Trump and his occult cabinet members means this illegal intimidation tactic will finally come to an end.” He added, “Trump’s rambling here is the political version of ‘you can’t fire me, I quit.”
And while federal troops will be withdrawing from Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, the government has not yet announced similar plans for Washington, D.C., where 2,000 National Guard troops were positioned in August 2025, followed by 500 more in November.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the move has helped lower crime in the capital. However, critics continue to argue that the president is attempting to control the Democratic-majority capital by force.
