National Guard Troops Quietly Withdrawn From U.S. Cities

Deployments to Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland ended with no public acknowledgment from White House or Pentagon.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Trump administration has withdrawn all federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities, after its repeated attempts to surge forces into Democratic-run states encountered judicial roadblocks. The pullout was completed last month with no public acknowledgment from the White House or the Pentagon.

Why it matters

The deployments of National Guard troops to major cities were controversial, with state and local leaders labeling the administration's actions an unlawful abuse of presidential authority. The quiet withdrawal suggests the administration may have faced legal and political challenges in maintaining the troop presence.

The details

More than 5,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Los Angeles, about 500 into Chicago, and 200 to Portland, Oregon. All of those service members were sent home by the end of January, according to U.S. Northern Command. The vast majority of the troops sent to L.A. were demobilized in late July, leaving 100 in the area before the pullout.

  • The pullout was completed last month.
  • In late July, the vast majority of the troops sent to L.A. were demobilized, leaving 100 in the area before the pullout.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who ordered the National Guard deployments to U.S. cities.

Pete Hegseth

The former Defense Secretary who insisted the mobilizations were necessary to combat what they claimed was unchecked violence and to support enforcement of the nation's immigration laws.

U.S. Northern Command

The military command that oversaw the withdrawal of all federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities.

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What they’re saying

“Only a question of time!' before crime would begin 'to soar again, necessitating a return 'perhaps in a much different and stronger form.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

The takeaway

The quiet withdrawal of National Guard troops from U.S. cities suggests the administration may have faced legal and political challenges in maintaining the troop presence, despite the president's claims of unchecked violence and the need for a stronger law enforcement response.