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President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would, at least for now, call off his efforts to send the National Guard to Portland and other U.S. cities.
The announcement on his personal social media platform, Truth Social, reflects a major retreat for Trump—and perhaps the quiet end of a saga that drew national attention to Portland, beginning in September, when Trump said he would send troops to the ostensibly “War ravaged” city to provide security for immigration enforcement work.
The ensuing legal battle, which culminated when a federal judge found the situation on the ground in Portland did not satisfy any of the relevant real-world conditions that would allow a president to legally deploy troops, underscored the limits of Trump’s ability to assert what was essentially a fictional premise to justify military action on U.S. soil.
Other cities were waging similar fights. In a Dec, 23 ruling on Chicago’s case, the U.S. Supreme Court issued another blow to Trump’s efforts, rejecting a key legal argument his administration had made. The decision was likely to redound in Oregon’s favor as its own district court victory went through appeal.
That case remains active. And in his Wednesday post, Trump—who has in the past indicated he might try to invoke the separate Insurrection Act to send in the military—indicated that this retreat may still not be the last word.
“We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again,” he wrote. “Only a question of time! It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???”
This and other aspects of the post, in which he said he was “removing” the troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, implied Trump believed their presence had reduced the crime in these places.
In fact, except for a brief few hours a small contingent spent at the Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, there is no evidence that the federalized National Guard members ever entered or did any actual work in the city.
Courts had blocked their deployment almost from the start. And the Pentagon has for months said that the troops, who remained under federal control as litigation drew on, have been posted on National Guard bases in the greater Portland area.
“Portland never saw troops on its streets because the law prevailed, and similar efforts across the country have faced legal setbacks,” said Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield in a statement. “We’re grateful for the professionalism of the Guard members caught in the middle of this legal fight. This outcome shows that standing up for the Constitution works. We look forward to seeing the formal orders that send them home to their families and communities safely.”
Of the 200 Oregon National Guard members mobilized for the mission, the military had said it sent 100 home in mid November. (It also sent home California National Guard members it had deployed to Oregon.)
It is unclear what Trump’s announcement Wednesday means for the other 100 or so Oregon National Guard troops that in recent days the military has said were continuing to train for the mission to Portland.
Asked about the status of those troops Wednesday, a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson told WW that “Anything concerning the President’s statement, we’ll have to refer you to the White House.”
The spokesperson said current information can be found on the U.S. Northern Command website, and linked to a webpage that said 100 Oregon National Guard troops remained “activated” and in planning and training mode.
