Key Takeaways
- The Pentagon is withdrawing 400 federalized National Guard troops from Chicago and Portland, with 200 California National Guard members departing Portland and 200 Texas National Guard members leaving Chicago.
- This pullback occurs weeks after President Donald Trump deployed them to address what he described as increased crime and to support domestic immigration enforcement, a move that has faced significant legal and political opposition.
- The withdrawal is part of the Pentagon's effort to "rightsize" its presence, ensuring a "constant, enduring, and long-term presence" in these cities, according to the U.S. Northern Command.
- While federalized troops are being recalled, 300 Illinois National Guard troops mobilized for the mission will remain in Chicago, and half of the 200 Oregon National Guard troops under federal orders will demobilize.
The Pentagon has initiated the withdrawal of several hundred National Guard troops from Chicago and Portland, a decision reported by The New York Times on Sunday. This move follows a controversial deployment by President Donald Trump aimed at combating perceived rising crime and bolstering immigration enforcement in the two major U.S. cities.
Specifically, 200 California National Guard troops who were sent to Portland and 200 Texas National Guard members deployed to Chicago are slated to return to their home states as early as Sunday. The deployment itself had been contentious, with legal challenges emerging shortly after the troops' arrival in early October, preventing them from becoming operationally deployed in many instances.
The U.S. Northern Command indicated that the withdrawal is part of a strategic adjustment to "shifting and/or rightsizing our Title 10 footprint" to maintain a consistent presence. However, a spokesperson for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated that the state had not received official notification from the federal government regarding the withdrawal of troops.
Despite the federalized National Guard pullback, local forces will maintain a presence. The 300 Illinois National Guard troops who were mobilized for the mission will remain in Chicago. Similarly, in Portland, while the 200 California National Guard troops are leaving, the Oregon National Guard will demobilize half of its 200 troops who were operating under federal orders. The Justice Department had previously sought a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to allow the president to send troops to Chicago, with a decision still pending.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.