Los Angeles, California - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles, roughly halving the deployment in the city, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

President Donald Trump ordered thousands of National Guard and hundreds of Marines into Los Angeles last month in response to an uprising over escalating federal immigration raids – a move opposed by city leaders and California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

"Thousands of members are still federalized in Los Angeles for no reason and unable to carry out their critical duties across the state," Newsom wrote on X, referring to the Guard's support of firefighting missions across the state.

"End this theater and send everyone home."

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on Tuesday confirmed the release "of 2,000 California National Guardsmen (79th IBCT) from the federal protection mission," adding "the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding."

Mayor Karen Bass credited peaceful protests and legal action for the withdrawal, which she termed a "retreat."

"This happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong. We organized peaceful protests, we came together at rallies, we took the Trump administration to court – all of this led to today's retreat," the Democrat said.

Los Angeles has been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration since the Republican returned to office in January.

After ICE agents terrorizing local communities spurred unrest and protests last month, Trump dispatched the National Guard and US Marines in response.

It was the first time since 1965 that a US president deployed the National Guard against the wishes of a state governor.

California is fighting the Trump administration in court over the deployment, arguing that the president overstepped his authority, though the troops have been allowed to remain for now.