National Guard Troops to Withdraw from Portland and Chicago, Maintaining Long-Term Presence

According to U.S. Northern Command, the decision to scale back the deployments was made in order to "ensure a constant, enduring, and long-term presence in each city." The command added, "Our troops in each city (and others) are trained and ready, and will be employed whenever needed to support law enforcement and keep our citizens safe." The withdrawals come as weekslong court battles have stalled the deployments. The National Guard troops were initially deployed to the two cities in response to civil unrest and protests in the summer of 2020. The deployments were seen as a key part of the Trump administration's efforts to quell the protests and restore order. The decision to scale back the deployments has been welcomed by some civil rights groups, who have long argued that the National Guard presence in the two cities was an overreach of federal authority. "This is a victory for the people of Portland and Chicago, who have been fighting against the militarization of their cities for months," said a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union. However, others have expressed concern that the withdrawals may create a power vacuum in the two cities, leaving law enforcement agencies to deal with the aftermath of the protests without the support of the National Guard. "We understand that the National Guard is being withdrawn, but we hope that the city authorities will be able to maintain order and keep the peace," said a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department. The troop withdrawals are the latest development in a long-running saga over the use of National Guard troops in the two cities. The deployments were initially authorized by the Trump administration, but have been the subject of ongoing court battles and controversy. As the National Guard troops prepare to leave the two cities, the Defense Department has hinted that changes are to come in order to ensure a continued presence in each city. "We will continue to work with local authorities to ensure that our troops are deployed in a way that supports law enforcement and keeps our citizens safe," said a spokesperson for U.S. Northern Command.