In a significant development, former President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of National Guard troops from three major US cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. This move comes after a series of legal obstacles thwarted his administration's efforts to deploy the military force in these Democrat-led urban centres.
Legal Roadblocks Force Temporary Retreat
Trump declared the decision in a social media post on Wednesday, framing it as a temporary measure. "We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!" he wrote. The troops, initially deployed earlier this year as part of a broader crackdown on crime and immigration, have faced resistance at nearly every legal turn.
The situation varied by city. Troops had already departed from Los Angeles. In Chicago and Portland, while personnel were sent, they were never actively deployed on the streets due to ongoing court cases. The Trump administration's push encountered formidable legal challenges across jurisdictions.
Court Rulings Across the Nation
The legal landscape proved decisive. In a notable setback for the President, the US Supreme Court refused in December to allow the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area as part of the immigration crackdown. Although not a final ruling, this order represented a rare and significant judicial check on the administration's plans.
Other courts followed suit. In the nation's capital, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit to stop the deployment of over 2,000 guardsmen. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Oregon issued a permanent block against sending National Guard troops to that state.
Return to State Control in California
The process in California highlighted the complex federal-state dynamics. California National Guard troops were removed from Los Angeles streets by December 15 following a court ruling. However, an appeals court had paused a specific part of the order that would have returned control of the Guard to Governor Gavin Newsom.
The path for full state control was cleared when, in a Tuesday court filing, the Trump administration stated it was no longer seeking a pause on that part of the order. This development paved the way for the California National Guard to completely revert to state authority after being federalised by Trump in June.
The series of events underscores the intense legal and political conflicts over the use of federal military power within states, setting a precedent for future administrations and highlighting the role of the judiciary in defining those boundaries.
