• Trump claims National Guard troops greatly reduced crime despite never fully deploying to streets
• Supreme Court and federal judges blocked deployment efforts in all three cities
• President warns troops could return in “much different and stronger form”

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — President Donald Trump announced Dec. 31 he is removing National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, ending a controversial deployment effort that faced legal challenges at nearly every turn despite his claims the troops greatly reduced crime in those cities.

Trump made the announcement via a Truth Social post, stating the withdrawal is temporary and warning federal forces will return if crime rates increase. The move comes after the Supreme Court and multiple federal judges blocked the administration’s attempts to deploy troops on city streets.

“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!”

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The announcement marks the end of a months-long effort to deploy military personnel in Democrat-led cities as part of what the administration characterized as a broader crackdown on crime and immigration. Troops had already left Los Angeles by Dec. 15 after a court ruling, while forces sent to Chicago and Portland never actually reached the streets due to legal challenges.

Legal Battles Blocked Deployments

Trump’s push to deploy National Guard troops in the three cities encountered immediate legal resistance. The Supreme Court in December refused to allow the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area as part of its immigration crackdown, dealing a significant setback to the president’s efforts.

The order was not a final ruling but represented a rare rebuke by the high court to Trump’s deployment plans. Federal judges in all three cities issued rulings blocking or restricting the troop deployments, citing concerns about the use of military forces for domestic law enforcement.

In Chicago, U.S. District Judge April Perry issued a temporary restraining order preventing the deployment of National Guard troops on city streets, though the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the troops to remain under federal control. The legal battle centered on Operation Midway Blitz, the administration’s immigration enforcement operation that began in September.

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California National Guard troops were removed from Los Angeles streets by Dec. 15 following a court ruling. An appeals court had paused part of the order requiring control of the Guard to return to Gov. Gavin Newsom. In a Tuesday court filing, the Trump administration said it was no longer seeking a pause in that part of the order, paving the way for California National Guard troops to fully return to state control after Trump federalized the Guard in June.

In Portland, a federal judge permanently blocked the deployment of National Guard troops. District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb also sued to halt deployments of more than 2,000 guardsmen in the nation’s capital.

Operation Midway Blitz Controversy

The troop deployment efforts were tied to Operation Midway Blitz, the Department of Homeland Security‘s sweeping immigration enforcement operation in Chicago that began Sept. 8. The operation was named in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving crash caused by an undocumented immigrant.

The administration initially sought to deploy hundreds of troops from Illinois and Texas to protect federal agents and property during the enforcement campaign. However, Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson opposed the deployment, and the state of Illinois filed suit against the Trump administration in October to block National Guard members from Texas.

The operation sparked intense protests, particularly at the ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois. Federal agents’ use of tear gas and pepper balls against protesters and journalists led to multiple court orders restricting their tactics. More than 4,500 people were arrested during the operation, which the Department of Homeland Security said targeted the worst criminal offenders but critics argued swept up many people with no serious criminal records.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis called federal immigration officials into court multiple times to answer for alleged violations of her orders restricting use of force. The judge found no substantial evidence to legally justify the Trump administration’s use of National Guard troops in the Chicago area.

Crime Claims Disputed

Trump’s claim that crime was greatly reduced by National Guard presence faces scrutiny from local officials and crime data. In Chicago, troops were sent but never actually deployed on streets due to the legal restraining order, raising questions about how they could have impacted crime rates.

Chicago crime statistics show crime had already been falling in the city before Operation Midway Blitz began in September. The Trump administration previously claimed their use of federal immigration agents in the Chicago area led to sharp crime reductions, but local officials noted the downward trend predated the federal operation.

In Los Angeles, California National Guard troops were deployed earlier in 2025 as part of Trump’s broader crackdown on crime and immigration. The troops left the city by mid-December following court orders. Portland saw similar legal challenges preventing troops from reaching city streets.

Political Implications

The troop withdrawal announcement comes as Trump prepares policy decisions for his second term. The president’s characterization of the deployment as successful despite troops never fully reaching streets in two of the three cities highlights the political nature of the announcement.

Trump’s warning that troops could return in a much different and stronger form suggests the administration may pursue alternative methods to deploy federal forces in Democrat-led cities. The reference to a stronger form raised questions about whether Trump might invoke different legal authorities, such as the Insurrection Act, to bypass state and local opposition.

Gov. Pritzker previously stated Trump cannot use the Insurrection Act to deploy National Guard troops against the wishes of state governors. The legal battles over the deployments highlighted tensions between federal and state authority over National Guard forces.

The announcement also underscored ongoing disputes between the Trump administration and Democratic governors and mayors over immigration enforcement, sanctuary city policies, and the appropriate use of military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Will Trump attempt new strategies to deploy federal forces in cities that resist his immigration enforcement agenda?

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