Trump says he’ll send troops to Portland as federal deployments expand to U.S. cities

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he will send troops to Portland, authorizing full force if necessary, to confront what he described as domestic terrorists and to protect facilities operated by federal agencies including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. He said the decision was necessary to safeguard federal property and to counter what he alleged are attacks on federal facilities. The White House offered no immediate timetable or details about how many troops would be deployed or when they would arrive, and a Pentagon spokesman said information would be provided as it becomes available.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, quickly rejected the move as an abuse of presidential authority. At a news conference in Portland, she said the city can manage its own public safety needs and that there is no insurrection or national-security threat. She added that she had spoken with Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier in the day and urged them not to deploy the military to the city. “This is an American city. We do not need any intervention,” Kotek said, while noting that the Oregon National Guard is not currently needed and she has no plans to call it up. Mayor Keith Wilson echoed the verdict, calling Portland a city that does not require a military presence and describing the move as unnecessary.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department would provide information and updates as available and asserted that the U.S. would mobilize military personnel “in support of DHS operations in Portland at the President’s direction.” An Oregon National Guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, said no official requests had been received and any request would have to go through the governor’s office. In Congress, Oregon’s Democratic delegation, with one Republican vote, condemned the plan as an overreach that could incite violence and undermine constitutional balance between the federal government and states.

The escalation comes as Portland and several other cities have seen a shift in demonstrations away from large-scale clashes toward smaller, focused protests around federal facilities. Portland has long been a center for political demonstrations since the 2020 protests sparked by George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis. Police and federal agents have clashed with protesters in the past, though the downtown area — including areas around the ICE building outside the core downtown — has seen fewer violent confrontations in recent months. The city announced earlier this month that the ICE facility would be cited for land-use issues related to its operations, though federal officials said detainees are briefly processed before transfer to other facilities.

Yesterday’s discussions drew a stark contrast between local leaders and the President. Kotek told reporters that the governor’s office had not requested any federal intervention and that “there is no timetable” for a deployment. She stressed that local agencies, not federal troops, are responsible for public safety, and she urged Portland residents to stay calm and avoid provoking violence. The mayor said the city would enforce the law against property damage or violence, but urged caution in the face of what he described as political theatrics.

Residents on the Willamette Riverfront offered mixed reactions. One jogger said he was “disgusted” by the president’s decision, while another enjoying a sunny afternoon called the move ridiculous and said the city was not out of control. The public mood in Portland has often reflected a desire to avoid being drawn into federal enforcement actions that some residents view as heavy-handed.

The broader context includes a string of federal deployments in other cities earlier in the year. Trump has previously threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago, though he has not followed through in that instance. In Memphis, Tennessee, a smaller deployment is anticipated, reportedly involving about 150 troops, with federal agents and officers from several agencies expected to accompany the effort. Protests in Memphis have included demonstrations at City Hall and in surrounding areas, with organizers calling for increased funding for education, crime prevention, and health services rather than federal presence.

Officials in Portland stressed that federal agents have visited the ICE facility but that the city’s police department remains in charge of local policing. Police Chief Bob Day said his agency does not participate in immigration enforcement and that Federal Protective Service personnel are responsible for the ICE building. While federal authorities have argued that violence and vandalism around federal property require a federal response, local leaders have urged the public to avoid actions that could escalate tensions.

The Portland discussion comes as the city has touted improvements in its downtown recovery since 2020. City officials reported that downtown pedestrian traffic has rebounded and crime metrics for the first half of the year showed a decline compared with the previous year, according to a recent Major Cities Chiefs Association survey. Officials also noted a reduction in homeless encampments and emphasized that downtown remains a hub for commerce and cultural activity, even as the federal debate continues to unfold.

As the national debate over federal power and local sovereignty continues, observers note that Portland’s status as a sanctuary city and the broader dynamics of immigration enforcement figure prominently in the political calculations of both the administration and state leaders. The president has tied his deployments to alleged threats against federal institutions and to confront what he has described as a “radical left” that he says has contributed to civil disorder. Critics argue that such deployments risk inflaming tensions, undermining local governance, and eroding civil liberties, particularly in a city that has spent years rebuilding after 2020’s protests.

The White House has not provided a timetable for the deployment or details about the composition of any forces, and Oregon officials have signaled that they will resist what they view as an overreach. As Portland awaits further developments, residents, business leaders, and lawmakers across the state remain focused on public safety, economic stability, and the preservation of local autonomy in an era of heightened federal involvement in city affairs.