Morning Brief: Trump Dumps Marjorie Taylor Greene, Hundreds of Guardsmen Leave Portland and Chicago, Chileans Vote in Polarized Presidential Race

National Guard Pullback Signals A New Fight Over Power In America’s Cities Hundreds of National Guard soldiers sent into Portland and Chicago are heading home after weeks of standoff-level tension, dueling lawsuits, and political leaders who made it clear they did not want federal troops operating on their streets. What began as a show of federal strength turned into a slow-motion retreat shaped by judges, governors, and mayors who pushed back with equal force. Roughly two hundred federalized California National Guard soldiers were dispatched to Portland under Title Ten authority, but many never moved beyond training sites because courtroom battles froze their deployment. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek took her objections further by formally requesting that the troops be sent home. Her message landed with unmistakable clarity. The state rejected what it viewed as federal intrusion and was willing to fight it on legal and political fronts. Chicago followed a similar script. Two hundred Texas National Guard members arrived under federal orders, only to find themselves stuck in limbo as local and state leaders closed ranks against their involvement. Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker supported lawsuits that challenged the federal mission and argued that the presence of troops risked inflaming an already tense environment. For weeks, the guardsmen stayed at training bases rather than city streets, a deployment in name only. By mid-November, U. S. Northern Command confirmed what had become inevitable. The bulk of the federalized forces would return home. About half of the California soldiers in Portland will remain on active duty, but with a narrowed scope. In Chicago, most of the Texas contingent is preparing to leave, with only a small group staying behind as part of a federal effort described as rightsizing. That term signals a shift toward a reduced but steady military footprint in major cities. The new priority is readiness without direct involvement in local law enforcement. This drawdown does more than send troops home. It shows how sharply the debate has shifted over the proper role of federalized military forces inside American cities. The Constitution draws a careful line between national authority and local control. Recent events show that line is once again under pressure. Governors and mayors are signaling they will not accept sweeping federal deployments without a fight. Federal officials insist that a trimmed presence will remain for emergencies where local agencies truly need backup. The larger question now is how often Washington will test the limits of that justification and how often states will push back.   NORTHCOM, under the direction from the Department of War, is constantly refining and improving our plans and capabilities to defend the Homeland. Our work to protect federal functions, personnel, and property remains a top priority — each and every day. We are prepared to commit… — U.S. Northern Command (@USNorthernCmd) November 15, 2025 Chile Votes With Safety On Its Mind And Fear At Its Back Chile enters its 2025 presidential election with a single idea dominating its national conversation. Crime and migration are no longer side issues. They have become the entire battlefield. In a country once regarded as one of the safest in Latin America, the shift feels jarring. Many Chileans now rank security and border control above the economy, social programs, or any of the issues that usually shape a presidential contest. The fear is not imagined. Violent crime has risen in ways that cut into public confidence and daily life. Kidnappings, armed assaults, extortion, and human trafficking are no longer rare events. The Venezuelan criminal outfit known as Tren de Aragua has carved out space inside Chile’s borders, and recent arrests of more than three hundred of its members only highlight the scale of the problem. An Ipsos survey shows nearly two-thirds of Chilean adults list crime as their top concern. The irony is that Chile still posts a relatively low homicide rate of about six per one hundred thousand people. The perception of danger, however, is stronger than the statistic. Migration fuels this climate. Chile’s foreign-born population has doubled since 2017 and now accounts for close to nine percent of its twenty million people. An estimated three hundred thirty thousand migrants are undocumented. Most are Venezuelans escaping a collapsed state. What might once have been framed as a humanitarian wave is now front and center in a national security debate. Candidates across the political spectrum treat border control as a litmus test. Hard right voices push for walls at the northern frontier, mass deportations, and severe reductions in access to public benefits for the undocumented. The farthest right want detention camps and military patrols at the border, selling the idea that migration and crime are one and the same. The race itself captures this divide. Jose Antonio Kast represents a sharpened right-wing movement. He promises tougher sentences, new maximum security facilities, and strict limits on irregular migration. His open praise for elements of Chile’s authoritarian past troubles some Chileans but energizes others who crave order. Jeannette Jara, the far left candidate, answers with her pledge to expand police funding, strengthen labor integration programs, and build biometric systems to manage migration in a structured and rights based manner. This election is about the public sense that Chile’s stability is under threat. The fear of rising crime and the pressure of migration have pulled the political center toward the margins. Mandatory voting ensures turnout will be high and emotions even higher. The outcome in December will shape not only policy but the way Chile defines itself in a region where security concerns are beginning to reorder the political map.   🚨URGENTE – Chile escolhe hoje o novo presidente do país, na primeira eleição com voto obrigatório, desde 2012 Chilenos votam também em novos deputados e, em algumas regiões, senadores. pic.twitter.com/uUCd0SmLqx — SPACE LIBERDADE  (@NewsLiberdade) November 16, 2025