On Saturday, Donald Trump declared that he would be sending troops to Portland, Oregon, stating he would “authorize Full Force, if necessary.” This move comes despite objections from local officials and the state’s congressional delegation, who argued that the president may be misinformed or misrepresenting the situation regarding a minor protest outside a federal immigration enforcement office.
In a social media post, Trump justified the deployment as essential for the “war-ravaged” city and claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities were “under siege by antifascists and other domestic terrorists.”
During an Oval Office event on Thursday, Trump announced plans to investigate what he described as “organized political violence” funded by leftist groups. He made several exaggerated claims about the state of Portland, which was a focal point for racial justice protests in 2020 following George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer. However, life in Portland has largely returned to normal, with barriers around the federal courthouse and police headquarters now removed.
Oregon’s Governor, Tina Kotek, refuted Trump’s portrayal, stating, “Portland and the State of Oregon believe in the rule of law and can manage our own local public safety needs.” She emphasized, “There is no insurrection. There is no threat to national security and there is no need for military troops in our major city.”
Portland’s Mayor, Keith Wilson, expressed disappointment over the use of outdated footage to portray current events, noting, “The number of necessary troops is zero.” He was referring to a recent Fox News report that misrepresented video from a 2020 protest as current footage.
A visit by the Guardian to downtown Portland on Saturday found the city peaceful, with a bustling farmers’ market and a small protest against immigration enforcement featuring only four demonstrators near the ICE office Trump claimed was “under siege.” One protester, dressed in a chicken costume and wrapped in an American flag, held a sign stating, “Portland Will Outlive Him,” while passing drivers honked in support.
The White House has not provided specifics about the troop deployment, including the timeline or the type of troops involved.
On Friday, Mayor Wilson expressed concern over the sudden arrival of federal agents, stating, “We did not ask for them to come. They are here without clear precedent or purpose.”
Oregon’s junior senator, Jeff Merkley, accused the president of attempting to create chaos and incite violence in the city, urging residents to remain peaceful in their protests. He asserted, “His goal is to make Portland look like what he’s been describing it as.”
Both of Oregon’s U.S. senators and three House representatives have strongly dismissed Trump’s claims of widespread disorder in Portland, characterizing them as a fabricated narrative to justify the unnecessary deployment of federal troops as part of an “authoritarian” crackdown.
Senator Ron Wyden labeled Trump’s assertions as “a fable” that does not reflect reality, adding, “If he watches a TV show in the morning and sees Portland mentioned, he says it’s a terrible place.”
