At a Glance
- Trump pauses National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland for now after court rulings.
- Supreme Court and federal judges halted deployments, returning control to state governors.
- Trump cites a crime drop but troops never took street duty in Chicago or Portland.
- Why it matters: The decision marks a pause in federal intervention in city policing amid legal challenges.
President Donald Trump announced he is pausing his National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland for the time being, following a series of court rulings that blocked the federal takeover of state troops. The move comes as the administration faces mounting legal opposition to its broader crackdown on crime, immigration and protests.
Legal roadblocks
The Supreme Court in December refused to allow the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area. A federal judge also barred the Guard from the streets of Portland and permanently blocked the deployment there after a three-day trial in November.
- Chicago – Deployment halted by Supreme Court.
- Portland – Deployment barred by federal judge.
- Los Angeles – Troops removed by December 15 after lower court order.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote on X:
> “Trump lost in court when Illinois stood up against his attempt to militarize American cities with the National Guard. Now Trump is forced to stand down.”
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said:
> “We were never lawfully deployed to Portland and there was no need for their presence. If President Trump has finally chosen to follow court orders and demobilize our troops, that’s a big win for Oregonians and for the rule of law.”
Deployment history and current status
Trump’s first federalization began in Los Angeles in June, with roughly 4,000 troops and 700 Marines deployed to guard federal buildings and assist with immigration arrests. By December 15, a lower court ordered the troops to return to Governor Gavin Newsom’s control, though an appeals court paused the second part of the order, keeping control with the president until the Trump administration said it would no longer seek a pause.
| City | Troop Count | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | ~4,000 troops & 700 Marines | Removed, returned to state control |
| Chicago | Not deployed on streets | Halted by Supreme Court |
| Portland | Not deployed on streets | Halted by federal judge |
Newsom posted on social media:
> “About time (Trump) admitted defeat. We’ve said it from day one: the federal takeover of California’s National Guard is illegal.”
Key Takeaways
- Trump’s National Guard deployments in key cities are paused after court rulings.
- Control of the Guard in Los Angeles has been returned to Governor Newsom.
- The administration claims the troops helped reduce crime, but they never operated on the streets in Chicago or Portland.
The Supreme Court and federal judges’ rulings signal a significant setback for Trump’s strategy to use National Guard units as a tool for crime control, though he maintains the deployments were effective in lowering crime rates.
