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WASHINGTON, Dec 31 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday his administration was removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland but he added in his social media post that federal forces will “come back” if crime rates go up.
Local leaders in those cities and Democrats have said the deployments, which have faced legal challenges, were unnecessary. They have accused the Trump administration of federal overreach and of exaggerating isolated episodes of violence at mostly peaceful protests to justify sending in troops.
Trump, a Republican, has said troop deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Memphis and Portland were necessary to fight crime and protect federal property and personnel from protesters.
“We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact,” Trump wrote.
“We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again – Only a question of time!”
Judges overseeing lawsuits filed by cities challenging the deployments have consistently ruled that the Trump administration overstepped its authority and found that there is no evidence to support claims that troops are necessary to protect federal property from protesters.
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