President Donald Trump announced that he has directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect federal immigration facilities from "domestic terrorists," authorizing the use of "full force if necessary."
“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect war-ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary,” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump's announcement did not specify a timeline for the deployment or identify which troops would be involved. If federal forces are sent to Portland, it would represent the latest in a series of contentious military deployments to U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and possibly Memphis.
All of the cities facing Trump’s wrath are Democratic-leaning.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson responded to Trump’s demand in a statement, writing, "President Trump has directed 'all necessary Troops' to Portland, Oregon. The number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city. Our nation has a long memory for acts of oppression, and the president will not find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to perpetrate it. Imagine if the federal government sent hundreds of engineers, or teachers, or outreach workers to Portland, instead of a short, expensive, and fruitless show of force."
Wilson also voiced concerns Friday night about an increased federal presence at the ICE facility, suggesting Trump may be acting on his earlier threats to use federal force against protests in the city.
“I want to be clear about the situation we face. We now have a sudden influx of federal agents in our city,” Wilson said at a Friday news conference, surrounded by city, county and federal officials, as well as faith leaders. “We did not ask for them to come. They are here without precedent or purpose.”
Wilson continued, “We need federal help. We need federal help to renew our infrastructure, and build affordable housing, to help clean our rivers and plant trees, and imagine the future of high-speed transportation.”
“Instead of help, they’re sending armored vehicles and masked men. If the federal government didn’t come to lend us a hand, then take a hike,” he said. “We have a place at the table for everyone willing to lend a hand, the federal government included. However, we have no tolerance for anyone in Portland who uses this difficult moment to hurt people or damage our home.”
Portland is the latest of left-leaning cities and states that have faced Trump’s ire in recent months. He ordered federal troops into Washington, D.C., to help with crime in the city. He threatened a similar move in Chicago, but has backed down.
On Thursday, Trump alleged that "crazy people" in Portland were attempting to set buildings on fire, including federal properties. The announcement also happened days after a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility left one person dead.
He appeared to be referring to ongoing protests near the ICE facility in South Portland, describing the participants as "professional agitators and anarchists."
The Portland-area facility is about two miles south of the city center and has faced constant protests since the summer. The facility was closed for several days over the summer after tear gas was deployed to stop some protests.
“That's a small example, but it's the most violent example. It's every night, and they've done it for years,” he told reporters. “You think maybe at some point they made their point and what are they doing? But we're going to get out there and we're going to do a pretty big number of those people in Portland that are doing that. They're professional agitators and anarchists. They're actually anarchist.”
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