Pentagon officials announced Thursday the withdrawal of over 1,300 National Guard troops from Los Angeles, significantly scaling back military presence as anti-immigration protests in the city have diminished.

According to Fox News, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the departure while maintaining a smaller contingent of approximately 250 National Guard members to continue protecting federal property and personnel.

The drawdown follows the earlier departure of 700 Marines and roughly 2,000 National Guard members who had been deployed to the city since June. This latest reduction represents another significant step in demilitarizing Los Angeles after the Trump administration's controversial decision to send federal troops to quell protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

California Officials Celebrate Troop Reduction Decision

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed satisfaction with the Pentagon's decision, characterizing it as "another win for Los Angeles" in a statement posted on social media. She further criticized the deployment by noting that National Guard members "have families and jobs" and could have been responding to "actual danger or helping communities prepare for fire threats" rather than guarding federal buildings.

California Governor Gavin Newsom similarly portrayed the troop reduction as a failure of the Trump administration's strategy, stating that the president's "political theater backfired." The Democratic governor had previously filed a lawsuit challenging the federal deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, arguing that the Trump administration had violated the law.

This legal challenge initially found success when a lower court ordered control of the National Guard returned to Newsom. However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later temporarily blocked that ruling, allowing federal oversight to continue until this latest withdrawal announcement.

Military Role During Los Angeles Deployment

The National Guard presence in Los Angeles primarily focused on protecting two key federal facilities during their deployment. Troops were stationed at ICE headquarters and a detention facility in downtown Los Angeles, serving as a security buffer amid ongoing protests against immigration enforcement actions.

Additionally, some National Guard members provided protection for federal agents conducting immigration raids throughout the Los Angeles area. This support role for enforcement operations particularly angered local officials who had declared Los Angeles a sanctuary city with limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The initial deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines in June came despite vocal opposition from state and local leadership. California officials maintained throughout the deployment that federal military presence was unnecessary and potentially inflamed tensions rather than helping to maintain public order.

Protest Movement Shows Signs of Diminishing

While demonstrations against ICE operations continue in Los Angeles, officials note they have become smaller and more scattered in recent weeks. The reduced intensity of protests appears to have factored into the Pentagon's decision to withdraw additional troops from the city.

Federal authorities initially justified the military deployment by citing concerns about potential violence during anti-immigration protests. The Trump administration characterized the move as necessary to protect federal employees and property from demonstrators opposing increased immigration enforcement actions.

Local leaders consistently countered that city police forces were capable of maintaining order while allowing for constitutionally protected demonstrations. Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom have both pushed for the complete removal of federal troops, arguing that their presence represented an unwelcome federal overreach into local affairs.

Future of Federal-State Tensions Over Immigration

The troop withdrawal marks the latest development in ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and California leadership over immigration enforcement policies. Newsom's statement specifically criticized using military personnel as "props in the federal government's propaganda machine," highlighting the political dimensions of the deployment.

With 250 National Guard troops remaining in Los Angeles, federal officials maintain some capacity to protect immigration enforcement operations in the city. The Pentagon statement indicated these remaining forces would continue safeguarding federal personnel and property despite the significant reduction in overall military presence.

Mayor Bass has pledged to continue pressing for the complete withdrawal of all remaining troops from Los Angeles. The ongoing dispute reflects broader national debates about the appropriate boundaries between federal immigration enforcement and local control over public safety resources and priorities.