President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the National Guard will be removed from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, but warned federal forces could return if crime rates rise sharply in these cities. He credited the troops with reducing crime and called them “great Patriots” protecting communities and federal property.
Local leaders and Democratic officials criticized the deployments as unnecessary and politically motivated, arguing that Trump exaggerated isolated incidents of violence to justify sending troops. They accused the administration of federal overreach, claiming city law enforcement had already maintained public safety effectively.
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Trump’s announcement came shortly before a federal appellate court ordered the return of hundreds of California National Guard troops to Governor Gavin Newsom. Legal challenges, including a Supreme Court ruling blocking troop deployment in Illinois, have repeatedly limited the president’s authority to control state National Guard units.
Judges overseeing lawsuits emphasized there was no evidence that federal forces were necessary to protect property from protesters, undercutting the administration’s claims. Despite these rulings, Trump insisted troops could return “in a much different and stronger form” if crime surged again.
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Chicago’s mayor shared data showing violent crime fell 21.3% in 2025, the lowest in over a decade, challenging Trump’s justification for extended deployments. Similar trends in other cities indicate crime levels have declined without extended federal troop presence.
The deployments originally began in June amid protests over Trump’s hardline immigration policies and deportation efforts, including control over Washington, D.C., police. Military officials have gradually scaled back operations as ongoing litigation left troop authority uncertain, prompting phased withdrawals.