Key Facts
• December 31: President Trump announced withdrawal of National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.
• National Guard deployment began in June 2025 citing worsening public safety.
• Supreme Court ruled December 23 that deployment to Chicago lacked sufficient legal basis.
• Deployment required state governor’s request; states sued citing presidential overreach.
• Trump claimed improved security in the three cities as reason for withdrawal.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed Trump’s concession.
• National Guard deployments continue in Washington D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans.
• Memphis and New Orleans have Republican governors; Washington D.C. under federal jurisdiction.
Summary
On December 31, 2025, President Donald Trump declared the withdrawal of National Guard troops from three Democratic stronghold cities: Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Portland, Oregon. This decision followed a December 23 Supreme Court ruling that found the deployment to Chicago lacked adequate legal justification, as National Guard deployment typically requires a state governor’s request. The affected states had challenged the deployments as presidential overreach. Trump stated on social media that the withdrawal was due to improved security but warned of a stronger return if crime rises again. California Governor Gavin Newsom praised Trump’s acknowledgment of defeat. Meanwhile, National Guard deployments will continue in Washington D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, where Republican governors or federal authority maintain support for the troops’ presence.
