Another Democrat-run city has entered Donald Trump’s crosshairs.
The president announced on Saturday that he is sending troops to “war-ravaged” Portland, Oregon, and is “authorizing 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,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek wrote on X that her office was given “no information” on Trump’s announcement.
“My office is reaching out to the White House and Homeland Security for more information,” she wrote.
“We have been provided no information on the reason or purpose of any military mission. There is no national security threat in Portland. Our communities are safe and calm.”
It’s unclear whether his invasion into the blue city will come to fruition. Trump has repeatedly threatened to seize control of Chicago, which has yet to happen. A deployment in Memphis, Tennessee, is expected to include only about 150 troops, the Associated Press reported.
He has, however, already deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to immigration protests and D.C. as part of his so-called crime crackdown in the nation’s capital.
Credible statistics show crime has decreased lately, and Guard troops with little to do are picking up trash and gardening in D.C..
The ICE facility in Portland has a history as a hotbed for protests which have led to violent clashes that left federal agents injured and protesters charged with assault.
Earlier this month, protesters erected a guillotine outside of the building, according to the Associated Press, adding that a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security described the display as “unhinged behavior.”
“Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for -– and do not need -– federal intervention,” Portland’s mayor, Keith Wilson, said in a statement after Trump’s threat, the outlet reported.
Wilson said his city had protected freedom of expression while “addressing occasional violence and property destruction.”
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden responded to Trump’s announcement on Saturday, urging residents in his state to “reject Trump’s attempt to incite violence in what we know is a vibrant and peaceful city.”
