Is Trump Really Pulling the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Washington, Jan 1 (NationPress) - US President Donald Trump has declared that his administration will withdraw the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, shortly after the US Supreme Court ruled against the administration. Trump stated, "We are pulling out the National Guard from these cities, even though their presence has significantly decreased crime. Without the Federal Government's intervention, these places would have faced dire situations." The announcement was made via his social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday.
He further added, "If crime rates rise again, we may return in a different and stronger capacity." Trump criticized the Democrat mayors and governors of these cities, labeling them as "grossly incompetent." This decision follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that blocked Trump's intentions to deploy the National Guard in Chicago to safeguard agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to reports from Xinhua.
Trump has maintained that the National Guard's presence is crucial in these Democrat-led areas due to escalating crime rates, while Democrats have raised concerns regarding the political motivations behind such actions. The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's request with a 6-3 vote, stating, "At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify a source of authority that would permit the military to enforce laws in Illinois."
The controversy began on October 4, when Trump activated 300 members of the Illinois National Guard for federal service specifically in and around Chicago. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were similarly activated. On October 9, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order against the federalization and deployment of the National Guard in Illinois. This decision was upheld on October 16 by the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which allowed federalization but not deployment. The Trump administration subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court.