Trump Pauses National Guard Use After Court Challenges in Democratic-Led Cities
President halts deployments amid legal defeats and backlash.
President Donald Trump announced the temporary suspension of National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon, following persistent legal obstacles that impeded the initiative. In a social media statement on Wednesday, he indicated a potential return with enhanced measures should crime rates escalate, attributing current reductions to the troops' presence despite their limited operational roles in some locations.
The deployments, initiated against the opposition of Democratic state and local leaders, formed part of Trump's broader strategy to address immigration, crime, and protests in urban areas. Governors traditionally oversee National Guard units, yet Trump federalized them to enforce federal priorities, framing the action as essential for public safety and a key element of his second-term agenda ahead of midterm elections.
Legal challenges consistently thwarted the efforts, with the Supreme Court declining to permit the Chicago deployment in December, and federal judges issuing blocks in Portland and Los Angeles. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek welcomed the decision, emphasizing adherence to judicial rulings and the rule of law, while California Governor Gavin Newsom declared the federal takeover unlawful following a Ninth Circuit ruling restoring state control.
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Trump maintained that the Guard's involvement contributed to crime declines, such as Chicago's lowest homicide count since 2014, though city officials credited local policing and programs. In Portland, a permanent injunction prevented street deployments, and Los Angeles saw troops withdrawn by mid-December after court interventions.
National Guard presence persists in other locales, including Washington, D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans, with varying levels of state support and ongoing legal proceedings. In Memphis, a judicial block remains stayed during appeals, while New Orleans' deployment, backed by both Republican and Democratic leaders, extends through Mardi Gras for enhanced security.
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