Trump Deploys National Guard to Portland Amid ICE Protests, Local Leaders Push Back
Key Facts
- Trump deploys National Guard to Portland to protect ICE operations
- 200 Guard members mobilized under federal authority for 60 days
- Governor and state attorney general seek to block deployment in court
- Local leaders accuse Trump of exaggerating unrest with recycled footage
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that the National Guard is now deployed in Portland, Oregon, to protect federal immigration enforcement operations as protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to roil the city.
Trump, who activated 200 Oregon National Guard members under federal authority last week, said conditions had “deteriorated into lawless mayhem.”
“Our GREAT Federal Law Enforcement Officers have not been able to enforce the laws in Oregon,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “ANTIFA and the Radical Left Anarchists have been viciously attacking our Federal Law Enforcement Officers… The National Guard is now in place, and has been dedicated to restoring LAW AND ORDER, and ending the Chaos, Death, and Destruction! We are a Nation of LAW, and we will PREVAIL.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum Monday officially nationalizing the troops for 60 days, citing credible threats of violence near Portland’s ICE facility. Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold told Guard members that their mission was clear: protect federal facilities and employees. He acknowledged some Oregonians might oppose the deployment but reminded troops of their oath to “support and defend the Constitution” regardless of personal views.
The move drew immediate backlash from Oregon leaders. Gov. Tina Kotek (D) called the decision “unlawful and unwarranted” in text messages to Trump aides and pressed the president directly in a phone call. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has filed for a temporary restraining order to block the Guard’s deployment, with a hearing scheduled Friday.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson also disputed Trump’s portrayal of the city, accusing the White House of recycling years-old video to exaggerate unrest. “If President Trump came to Portland today, what he would find is people riding their bikes, playing sports, enjoying the sunshine, buying groceries or produce from a farmers’ market,” Wilson said.
Still, protests around Portland’s ICE facility have persisted since June, at times turning violent. Federal officials say agents have faced attacks, and video obtained by Fox News showed demonstrators in August bringing a mock guillotine, lighting fires, and clashing with officers.
The deployment highlights a widening rift between federal authorities and Oregon officials over immigration enforcement and public safety in the state’s largest city.
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