Guard Troops Fully Withdraw From Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles

Deployments in other cities, including New Orleans and Memphis, continue under the command of Republican governors.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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All National Guard troops that the Trump administration tapped to support aggressive immigration operations have left Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, according to U.S. military officials. The demobilizations signal the formal end to monthslong deployments that pitted Democratic cities against the Trump administration and tested the limits of presidential authority over the state-based military forces.

Why it matters

The Guard deployments in Democratic-led cities were highly controversial, with the Trump administration sending troops to those areas over the objections of state and local officials. The withdrawals mark the end of a contentious chapter in the use of the National Guard for political purposes.

The details

In Portland and Chicago, the Guard troops, who had been sent to support federal law enforcement and protect buildings, never actually operated on the streets. The move in Portland was tied up in court, and the one in Chicago was blocked by the Supreme Court. Troops in Los Angeles were allowed on the streets despite a pending court case, but the Pentagon significantly reduced their numbers toward the end of the year.

  • The demobilizations were noted on the website of the U.S. Northern Command and followed the Pentagon's plan late last year to withdraw Guard troops.
  • The deployments came amid a broader push by Mr. Trump to use the National Guard to enforce law and order.

The players

President Trump

The former president who initially deployed the National Guard troops to the Democratic-led cities to support law enforcement efforts against protests.

U.S. Northern Command

The U.S. military command that oversees the demobilization of the National Guard troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland.

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What’s next

The deployment in Washington, D.C. is expected to continue through the end of the year.

The takeaway

The withdrawals of National Guard troops from Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles mark the end of a contentious chapter in the use of the military for political purposes, with the Trump administration facing legal and political challenges in its attempts to deploy troops to Democratic-led cities.