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By Hollie Silverman
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President Donald Trump announced that the National Guard will be pulled from multiple American cities following months of deployment across several states, followed by a warning that troops would return "perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again."
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, the president said that National Guard members will be removed from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon.
"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," he said.
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"Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in," he added.
The Context
Trump announced the withdrawal of National Guard troops from three major U.S. cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland—just a week after the Supreme Court rejected his administration's request to maintain federal troop deployments in Illinois in support of immigration enforcement.
The move marks a significant shift in policy following months of legal battles over federal authority to intervene in city policing, and it comes at a politically charged moment as debates continue around the use of the military in domestic law enforcement.
Trump’s decision and warning about possible future redeployments highlight persistent tensions between state and federal governments over control and the balance of power relating to civil unrest and crime in urban areas.
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Trump Announces Withdrawal After Supreme Court Ruling
President Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Wednesday the immediate removal of National Guard members from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.
He wrote, "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," adding, "Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in." He further warned, "We will return, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again."
Where Has the National Guard Been Deployed?
National Guard units were sent to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland earlier in 2025 as federal support for local police during periods of unrest and protests.
They were first deployed in Washington, D.C., and later deployed in New Orleans to combat crime, the administration said.
The deployments have become the subject of contentious legal and political debate, including pushback from state and city officials who argued that the federal presence exacerbated tensions.
Supreme Court National Guard Decision: What We Know
The withdrawal comes in the wake of the SCOTUS declining the Trump administration’s emergency request to overturn a lower court’s injunction on National Guard deployment in Illinois.
U.S. District Judge April Perry had previously blocked the use of federal troops in Chicago, and the Supreme Court upheld that decision last week after over two months of review. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch dissented.
The court's brief order did not resolve the underlying legal dispute but signaled a judicial reluctance to support broad federal intervention in state-led law enforcement without explicit legislative authorization.
How Much Are National Guard Members Paid?
Pay for National Guard members depends on rank, experience, and length of service. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, average monthly compensation—including base pay, allowances, and potential bonuses—ranges from several hundred to several thousand dollars, with full-time deployments increasing overall pay.
What Does the National Guard Do?
The National Guard is a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces, tasked with supporting state and federal missions such as disaster relief, civil unrest response, and homeland security.
In these recent deployments, they worked alongside local law enforcement to protect federal property and restore public order in cities experiencing unrest.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in his Truth Social post Wednesday: "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. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in."
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in response to the news on X Wednesday: "And with that, we close year 2025. Onward."
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois said on X after the SCOTUS decision last week: "Today is a big win for Illinois and American democracy. I am glad the Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump did not have the authority to deploy the federalized guard in Illinois."
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court's decision and President Trump's order will likely set precedents for ongoing lawsuits regarding federal intervention in local law enforcement.
Local officials are overseeing the transition as the National Guard exits urban areas, and the White House indicated it would continue monitoring public safety conditions.
Update 12/31/25 4:53 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with more information.
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