President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he’s pulling National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland.
“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 wrote on Truth Social, adding that federal forces will “come back” if crime spikes again.
Earlier this month a federal judge in California blocked the Trump administration from deploying members of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, and also directed the administration to return control of the Guard to Gov. Gavin Newsom – until an appeals court paused the latter.
In a Tuesday court filing, the Trump administration said it was no longer seeking a pause in that part of the order. That paves the way for the California National Guard troops to fully return to state control after Trump federalized the Guard in June.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the development a “major litigation victory” in a press release Wednesday. -AP
In October, however, a federal appeals court allowed Trump to deploy the Oregon National Guard to Portland as a legal challenge progresses – however in November, a judge permanently blocked the deployment of National Guard troops there following a three-day trial.
The decision to pull troops also comes a week after the Supreme Court refused to allow the admin to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area to aid in ICE efforts to remove illegals. The order was not a final ruling, but marked a rare setback by the SCOTUS in regards to Trump’s efforts.
“Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in,” Trump’s post continues. “We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again – Only a question of time!”
In November, US Northern Command said it was “shifting and/or rightsizing” operations in Portland, Chicago and Los Angeles, but that there would be a “constant, enduring and long-term presence in each city.”
Trump has made a crackdown on crime a centerpiece of his second term, and has teased the use of the Insurrection Act to stop Democrats from using the courts to block his plans.
Loading recommendations…
Read the full article here