DONALD Trump has withdrawn National Guard troops from three major cities in shock New Year’s Eve move.
The President removed troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland on Wednesday, boasting about the achievements of the troops in reducing the crime rates in trio of Democratic cities.
He did, however, claim their work had been impeded upon by local opposition.
“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 announced on his social media platform Truth Social.
“We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form,” he wrote.
“When crime begins to soar again – only a question of time” It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made.”
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The Don sent in the troops in early 2025, primarily to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who had been tasked with carrying out raids on believed illegal migrants, as far-left agitators held violent protests.
Trump claimed the presence of the troops would help to reduce crime.
The deployments faced instant legal challenges as federal courts – including the Supreme Court last week – ruled the President lacked the authority to utilize soldiers without meeting specific legal criteria.
An example listed in the legal criteria would include quelling a rebellion.
Many of the soldiers had in fact been blocked from deployment, placed in standby positions or been partially withdrawn.
Trump’s announcement came on New Year’s Eve, following the December 23 decision from the Supreme Court to uphold the blocks on the Chicago deployment.
This blockage subsequently stopped troops from being deployed in Portland and Los Angeles.
His withdrawal of troops comes after months of unrest between ICE agents and the public.
In October, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order sought by California and Oregon on the president.
Trump had earlier authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops in Chicago after an armed woman was shot by Border Patrol agents amid spiralling anti-ICE protests.
The US President gave the go ahead in response to “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness”.
A statement from the White House said: “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.”
It came after authorities said “defensive shots” were fired in Brighton Park after agents were “rammed by 10 cars” and “boxed in”.
The federal agents were “unable to move their vehicles and exited the car,” Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X.
She said that patrolling agents opened fire when they found a woman driving one of the vehicles was “armed with a semi-automatic weapon”.