In a significant legal and political development, President Trump has announced the withdrawal of National Guard troops from several major US cities, marking the end of a controversial deployment that sparked intense legal battles.

On New Year's Eve, Trump signaled the troop withdrawal via Truth Social, stating dramatically: "We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again." The announcement follows recent Supreme Court rulings that challenged his authority to use troops for domestic law enforcement in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.

The troop deployments, primarily targeting Democratic-run cities, had been a source of significant legal contention. Hundreds of National Guard members had been sent to Chicago and Portland, though they had not yet been assigned to street patrol due to ongoing court challenges. Trump had consistently argued that the troops were necessary to enforce law and address crime and illegal immigration.

The Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v Illinois last week definitively stated that the president did not have the authority to unilaterally deploy troops into cities, a decision that effectively undermined Trump's strategy. California Governor Gavin Newsom celebrated the withdrawal, describing it as the "political version of 'you can't fire me, I quit.'"

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomed the Supreme Court's intervention, telling MS Now that the ruling represented "another branch of government recognizing the overreach by the president" and its potential threat to democratic processes.

While troops will be withdrawn from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Washington DC will maintain its current National Guard presence. The legal and political drama underscores the complex balance of power between federal and state authorities in managing public safety and law enforcement.