President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that National Guard troops have been deployed to Oregon to restore order amid violent protests targeting ICE facilities. The president stated on Truth Social that he had authorized the deployment at the request of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, emphasizing the need to protect “War ravaged Portland” and federal immigration enforcement operations from “Antifa and other domestic terrorists.”
Trump’s statement came after left-wing agitators have besieged an ICE facility in Portland since June, with local officials allegedly complicit in undermining federal efforts. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) rejected the National Guard’s involvement, asserting during a news conference that the state could handle its “public safety needs” without federal intervention. She denied claims of a national security threat, stating, “There is no insurrection… and there is no need for military troops in our major city.”
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson (D) and Kotek have faced criticism for their support of protest groups, which have engaged in violent confrontations with law enforcement and media. Independent journalist Katie Daviscourt was assaulted last night by an Antifa protester outside the ICE facility, who struck her with a flag pole before fleeing to an “Antifa safe house.” Portland Police did not make an arrest, leaving Daviscourt to describe the incident on social media as evidence of systemic failure.
Trump reiterated his stance on Truth Social, claiming federal officers in Oregon were outnumbered and unable to enforce immigration laws. He condemned “ANTIFA and the Radical Left Anarchists” for attacking law enforcement and vowed to restore “LAW AND ORDER” in the city. The president also dismissed Kotek’s remarks as delusional, calling Portland a “NEVER-ENDING DISASTER” run like a “Third World Country.”
The National Guard’s presence marks a significant escalation in federal response to protests that have disrupted ICE operations and drawn national attention.
