Trump announces the withdrawal of the National Guard from Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles
United States - December 31, US President Trump announced the withdrawal of the National Guard from Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles - a military reserve force in the United States. This came after a series of legal setbacks over the legality of these deployments, which had made him controversial.
He added, "We will withdraw the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland," said the US president on his social media platform Truth Social. "Crime rates have significantly declined... We will return, perhaps in a stronger form... It's just a matter of time!"
Previously, the highest court in Chicago and federal judges in Los Angeles and Portland had blocked the deployment of the National Guard.
For months, Trump has ordered the deployment of the National Guard to these Democratic-leaning cities as well as Memphis to combat crime and assist in immigration enforcement. The deployment of these troops, who are trained to deal with natural disasters within the United States, but also have the capability to fight overseas, faced legal challenges from opponents. Democrats condemned this as an authoritarian act beyond the president's authority - the National Guard is jointly commanded by the president and local governors.
On December 23, the Supreme Court ruled that the government had failed to provide a legal basis for deploying troops in Chicago, and according to US law, military deployment can only be authorized in exceptional circumstances. The 1878 Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military for law enforcement purposes.
After this legal setback, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker expressed delight on X: "President Trump is now forced to back down." Gavin Newsom also achieved a legal victory.
As early as mid-December, the Trump administration had announced the withdrawal of some forces sent to Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago, but the National Guard remained stationed in parts of these cities.
Last Wednesday night, a federal appellate court also ordered the return of control of the California National Guard to Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
Mr. Newsom responded, "I'm glad President Trump finally admitted defeat: we've always believed that the federalization of the California National Guard was illegal." Mr. Newsom, an opponent of Trump, is actively seeking to become a candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta added in a statement: "For six months, soldiers of the California National Guard have been used as political pawns by a president who wants to be a king." He stated, "Our founding fathers had reasons to separate military and civil affairs; there were reasons our army was designed to remain politically neutral." He welcomed the latest legal developments. He concluded, "Although our rule of law is still under threat, our democratic system remains strong."
Sources: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853164557393923/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.