WASHINGTON DC: US President Donald Trump has announced that National Guard troops will be withdrawn from several cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, following a Supreme Court ruling that limited his authority to deploy troops for domestic law enforcement.
On New Year’s Eve, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Trump administration also dropped legal efforts to retain control over troops stationed in Los Angeles. The Supreme Court had ruled last week in Trump v. Illinois that the president could not send troops to Chicago for policing purposes. Trump’s statement additionally mentioned Portland, Oregon, but did not reference Washington, D.C., where troops are still on patrol.
Trump’s original decision to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities sparked legal challenges, as such troops typically fall under state governors’ authority. Although hundreds of troops were sent to Chicago and Portland, they had not been deployed on city streets due to ongoing court cases.
Trump has argued that the troops were needed to enforce the law and combat crime and illegal immigration, while critics accuse him of overreach and attempting an “authoritarian” move that threatens democracy.
California Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the administration’s decision, tweeting that Trump’s withdrawal “ends this illegal intimidation tactic.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also praised the Supreme Court’s ruling, noting that it demonstrates another branch of government is checking presidential overreach and protecting democracy.
(Inputs from BBC)
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