California National Guard troops on July 10, 2025, provide a security perimeter for federal personnel conducting law enforcement activities at Carpinteria, Calif. (U.S. Army photo)

Only 250 California National Guard troops of the roughly 4,000 deployed to Los Angeles last month remained on duty Thursday after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved sending home another 1,350 troops, the Pentagon announced.

The remaining troops will continue the mission to protect federal personnel and property in and around the city that once had more than 5,000 troops, including active-duty Marines, deployed there. Hegseth authorized the drawdown Wednesday, according to Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesman.

“We greatly appreciate the support of the more than 5,000 Guardsmen and Marines who mobilized to Los Angeles to defend federal functions against the rampant lawlessness occurring in the city,” Parnell said in a statement.

Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman has served as commander of the mission, known as Task Force 51, for the nearly two months that troops have been deployed to the city.

President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to L.A. on June 7 after thousands of people began to protest near a downtown federal building over immigration raids at businesses across the city. He first sent 2,000 troops, then quickly doubled it. He then called on a battalion of Marines from Twentynine Palms, Calif., to assist the mission.

Trump said the troops were necessary to keep the city from burning, but local and state officials argued the military inflamed the situation.

The first major drawdown occurred about two weeks ago when Hegseth authorized the release of about 2,000 National Guard members. He followed last week by sending home the Marine battalion.

While the Marines were primarily stationed as security outside of federal buildings, National Guard troops have gone with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to provide a safe perimeter as federal officers made arrests.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on Wednesday praised Hegseth’s decision to send the majority of troops home.

“Another win for Los Angeles tonight,” she wrote on social media. “We will continue this pressure until all troops are out of L.A.”