In a significant legal development, President Donald Trump announced the removal of National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, following a decisive Supreme Court rejection of his deployment strategy.

The Supreme Court's unsigned order last week dealt a major blow to the Trump administration's attempts to federalize National Guard troops in Illinois, ruling that the government failed to identify a legal basis for military intervention in state operations. This landmark decision effectively challenged Trump's approach to deploying troops in Democratic-led states.

Governors of the affected states quickly responded to the troop withdrawal. California Governor Gavin Newsom characterized the move as a court-mandated retreat, stating, "We won in court and forced him to." Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was equally direct, asserting that "Donald Trump's lying again" and emphasizing that the state successfully resisted the militarization of American cities.

Trump's initial deployment of National Guard troops began in June, with 500 troops sent to the Chicago area in October, and 200 troops activated for Portland during the same month. The president had positioned these deployments as responses to potential law enforcement challenges, particularly around immigration enforcement and urban unrest.

While the Supreme Court decision specifically addressed Illinois, it was expected to impact similar National Guard deployments in other states. The ruling did not affect deployments in Washington, D.C., which remains a federal district with different jurisdictional rules.

Interestingly, the Trump administration continues to maintain National Guard presence in other regions. As of late December, 350 Louisiana National Guard members were authorized for deployment under Governor Jeff Landry, supporting federal law enforcement partners in addressing violent crime in New Orleans and surrounding metropolitan areas.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek emphasized that the National Guard troops were "never lawfully deployed to Portland" and noted that her office had not yet received official notification of troop demobilization. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals simultaneously directed the administration to return control of the California National Guard to Governor Newsom.

With over 2,400 National Guard members still deployed in the nation's capital, the broader conversation about military involvement in domestic law enforcement continues to evolve, raising important questions about federal authority, state autonomy, and the appropriate use of military resources in civilian contexts.