President Donald Trump announced on New Year’s Eve that he is pulling National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, crediting their presence for slashing crime rates while hinting at a potential beefier return.
The move follows a stinging Supreme Court rejection just days earlier, leaving the administration’s bold domestic deployment plans looking a bit deflated.
Cities led by Democrats breathed a collective sigh of relief, with governors and attorneys general popping virtual champagne over what they called a victory for the rule of law.
Meanwhile, residents in these urban hotspots might soon discover whether crime truly stays low without the extra camouflage on the streets—or if the president’s prediction of soaring rates proves prescient.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta wasted no time labeling the deployments as political props, accusing the president of aspiring to royal status in a republic.
His counterpart in Sacramento, Governor Gavin Newsom, couldn’t resist a cheeky victory lap on social media.
President Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to declare the withdrawal, insisting that crime had plummeted solely thanks to those “great Patriots” in uniform.
He claimed the cities would have vanished without federal intervention, a statement that raised eyebrows among local leaders who pointed to their own policing efforts.
The Supreme Court had dealt the key blow last week, refusing to lift blocks on deploying guards to protect ICE agents in Chicago during immigration operations.
Judges ruled the situation didn’t warrant federalizing the Guard, noting that regular law enforcement could handle the job just fine.
In Los Angeles, troops had seen some street action earlier in the year amid protests over immigration raids.
But legal battles quickly sidelined most deployments, leaving soldiers mostly guarding federal buildings or waiting in reserve.
Portland and Chicago barely saw boots on the ground as courts intervened swiftly.
A Ninth Circuit ruling this week sealed the deal for California, handing control back to Governor Newsom.
The administration quietly dropped its appeals, signaling the end of this particular skirmish.
Trump, undeterred, teased a comeback in “a much different and stronger form” once crime allegedly spikes again.
Critics noted the timing: just as courts closed the door, the president framed it as a gracious exit.
Separate deployments continue elsewhere, like in Washington, D.C., under different legal authority.
And a fresh one kicked off in New Orleans for Sugar Bowl security, commemorating last year’s tragic attack.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker fired back online, accusing Trump of stretching the truth about crime reductions.
Oregon officials celebrated the troops never fully materializing on their streets.
In the end, the Guard’s brief cameo in these cities wrapped up with more courtroom drama than street patrols.
Local leaders hailed democratic checks holding firm against executive overreach.
Yet the president’s parting words left everyone wondering if this is intermission or the final curtain.
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