President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration is withdrawing National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, while stating that federal forces could be redeployed if crime rates increase. The deployments, which began earlier this year, were part of a broader federal effort that also included troop presence in Washington, D.C., Memphis, and other cities, aimed at addressing crime and protecting federal property during protests.

The decision followed a series of legal rulings challenging the deployments. Federal judges overseeing lawsuits brought by several cities ruled that the administration exceeded its authority and found insufficient evidence that National Guard troops were required to protect federal property from protesters. On Wednesday, a federal appellate court ordered the return of hundreds of California National Guard troops to the control of Governor Gavin Newsom. Earlier, on December 23, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois, stating that the president’s authority to federalize the Guard likely applies only in exceptional circumstances.

Local officials in the affected cities cited the court decisions as the basis for the withdrawal. Chicago city officials released 2025 data showing a decline in violent crime compared with the previous year. The troop deployments began in June amid protests related to federal immigration policies and deportation efforts. In recent months, military officials have scaled back the presence of federal forces as litigation over the deployments continued.