Trump recalls National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland

US president cites crime reduction, warns federal forces could return if violence resurges

US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of National Guards in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, marking the withdrawal of intense federal security presence after several months in three of the largest and most controversial cities in the US. In a new year message, Trump revealed that his administration had reached its primary objective in deploying guards through a significant reduction in crimes recorded in these cities. Trump stipulated, however, that when crimes rise, federal presence will revert.

“The National Guard did its job, Trump stated. “But if crimes rise, federal troops will return, and they will return tougher than before.”

The deployment of the Guard was earlier due to increasing violence and unrest levels as well as a strained relationship between the local authorities and the federal government. The deployment sparked a intense debate in American poltics, which saw the mayor of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland complain of federal interference in local matters, challenged by the White House, which cited the need to restore order.

“The categories of violent events show a clear decrease,” Trump said, citing law-enforcement statistics, “due to the better coordination between federal agents and local forces.”

Despite the ongoing process of withdrawing troops, the president stressed that his administration will closely monitor events in those cities. “This is not the end of federal oversight,” he added, “because we will act without hesitation again should safety standards decline.”

City leaders greeted these developments with hopefulness but with caution as well. While they were relieved that the National Guard had left their cities, they reminded society that long-term solutions must be sought in other areas as well.

The move has been described as part of a wider strategy employed during the Trump presidency to address the level of influence exerted by states and local governments in relation to the central government in view of the various challenges the nation is poised to face in the new year. The withdrawal will take place in a gradual manner over the course of the next days.