The Trump administration is reportedly releasing around 2,000 members of the California National Guard who were deployed to Los Angeles earlier this year. The Department of Defense (DOD) announced on Tuesday, July 15, that the decision follows a successful mission.
Troops recalled
That number represents about half of the troops deployed to LA last month during protests over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.
“Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement to Reuters.
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With that number of troops leaving, it’ll still leave some 2,000 California National Guard troops in the city, along with around 700 Marines the president also sent to LA.
It’s unclear how long they will remain in the city despite no protests in recent weeks.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has opposed the troops in LA, responded on X.
“For more than a month, @realDonaldTrump has been exploiting @TheCalGuard as his political pawns. Thousands of members are still federalized in Los Angeles for no reason and unable to carry out their critical duties across the state. End this theater and send everyone home.”
President Donald Trump has not publicly commented on the move.
Legal fight over deployment
The president’s sending in the troops received immediate pushback from Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.
Just last month, the state filed a lawsuit against the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the move. A three-day trial is set for next month to determine if the order violated federal law.
Bass said, “we don’t want them here,” when the deployment initially happened. She also reacted to Tuesday’s news on X.
“This retreat happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong. My message today to Angelenos is clear — I will never stop fighting for this city. We will not stop making our voices heard until this ends, not just here in LA, but throughout our country.”
Despite the pushback from state and local leaders, a federal appeals court ruled last month that the president could keep control of California’s troops.
Other use for the troops
In recent weeks, the National Guard has been deployed for other purposes around the city, including a raid on the city’s Macarthur Park on July 7.
More than three hundred troops were also used to raid suspected illegal marijuana farms in nearby Riverside County.
