On Saturday, President Donald Trump authorized troop deployment in Portland, a northwestern US city, expanding his controversial domestic military use to bolster a significant immigration crackdown.
Portland, Oregon’s largest city, follows previous actions by the Republican president to deploy troops against local Democratic leadership desires in Los Angeles and Washington DC.
This move coincides with Trump’s offensive against left-wing activists following several lethal incidents, which he and his allies cite as proof of a “domestic terrorist” network.
“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-torn Portland and any ICE facilities under attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leads Trump’s controversial mass deportation campaign.
It remains unclear if Trump authorized troop use at ICE facilities nationwide or solely in protest-hit Portland.
The president mentioned he was “also authorizing full force, if necessary,” without further details.
Protesters in Portland and other cities have recently blocked ICE facility entrances, leading to clashes as agents sought to clear the areas.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated the department is “ready to mobilize US military personnel” to support ICE, without specifics.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek reported she spoke with Trump, who “did not provide any details or specify timing” for troop deployment.
“There is no insurrection, no national security threat, and no need for military troops in our major city,” she told reporters.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson labeled the deployment “unwanted, unneeded, and un-American.”
“The necessary troop count is zero in Portland and any other American city,” he added.
‘Terrorist’ Threat
Portland officials are cautious of a repeat of summer 2020, during Trump’s first term, when violent clashes surged amid racial justice protests after George Floyd’s police killing.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden called Trump’s action an “authoritarian takeover of Portland hoping to provoke conflict.”
“I urge Oregonians to reject Trump’s attempt to incite violence,” the Democrat posted on X.
In June, Trump first deployed troops in Los Angeles, overriding the Democratic governor and sparking ongoing legal battles over presidential authority limits.
This was followed by a troop and federal agent surge in the US capital, with threats to target other major cities, including Chicago.
The Portland announcement follows a deadly shooting at a Texas ICE facility, resulting in one detainee’s death and two severe injuries.
Federal officials say the gunman, who died by a self-inflicted gunshot, aimed to target ICE agents from a rooftop.
Weeks earlier, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead on a university campus.
After Kirk’s assassination, Trump declared the left-wing “Antifa” movement a “domestic terrorist group.”
This label raises concerns among Trump’s critics about potential broad dissent suppression under national security pretexts.
On Thursday, Trump signed an order directing the FBI to investigate and disrupt “organized political violence,” mentioning billionaire George Soros as a probe example.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed federal Justice Department agents to ICE facilities nationwide.
“If you so much as touch one of our federal officers, you will go to prison,” she said Saturday on X.
