Here’s what Trump’s plan is now.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his administration will begin scaling back National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland — three major cities governed by Democrat leadership — while making clear that federal forces could return if crime and unrest rise again.
The decision follows months of legal challenges and political resistance from state and local officials who opposed the federal government’s role in supporting immigration enforcement and protecting federal property.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump defended the original deployments, arguing they played a key role in restoring order.
“Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were essentially gone before the Federal Government stepped in,” Trump wrote. “We will come back — and perhaps in a much stronger and more decisive form — when crime surges again. It’s only a matter of time.”
The announcement comes shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a setback to Trump’s effort to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area. The Court declined to approve the administration’s request to use Guard units to assist federal officials enforcing immigration law.
In a 6–3 decision, the Court cited long-standing federal restrictions that generally limit the use of military forces in civilian law enforcement. The majority also questioned whether the statute relied upon by the administration applies when standard law enforcement tools remain available.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch dissented, arguing the president should have broader authority to protect federal operations. Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the majority but wrote separately, signaling he favored a more limited ruling.
The decision marked the first time the Supreme Court directly weighed in on the legal dispute over Trump’s use of the National Guard and represented a rare loss for the administration on the Court’s emergency docket.
Lower federal courts in Illinois, California, and Oregon had previously blocked the deployments, ruling that the administration exceeded its authority and encroached on state control of the National Guard.
In reality, only limited troop numbers were ever activated in Chicago and Portland due to ongoing court orders. Los Angeles experienced the largest presence, with more than 4,000 troops at the height of the operation. By mid-December, that number had reportedly dropped to about 100.
Trump initially authorized the deployments in June following widespread protests tied to immigration enforcement actions. Administration officials have consistently warned of increased violence and threats against federal officers, though Democrat-led city and state leaders have disputed those claims.
Washington, D.C. — where the president holds direct authority over the National Guard — was notably excluded from the withdrawal announcement. Trump previously used special executive authority in the capital to deploy Guard units and temporarily assert federal control over local policing in response to rising crime.
Although a federal judge blocked the D.C. deployment last fall, an appeals court later allowed it to continue while litigation proceeds. Several Republican-led states also contributed National Guard units to assist federal operations.
In closing, Trump questioned why Democrat mayors and governors would oppose continued federal support.
“It’s hard to understand why these Democrat leaders would want us to leave,” he wrote. “Especially when real progress has been made.”
As debates over crime, immigration enforcement, and federal authority continue, Trump’s warning suggests the issue remains far from settled — and could quickly return to the national spotlight.