Trump vows 'full force' as he plans to send troops to Portland amid anti-ICE protests

President Donald Trump announced Saturday morning that he plans to send federal troops to Portland, Oregon, to shield Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities amid ongoing anti-ICE protests. In a Truth Social post, he said he was acting at the request of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and directed the 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. He also said he was authorizing full force if necessary.

This order came as the Department of Homeland Security announced that a new American flag was being added to the Portland ICE facility after protesters burned others. Portland officials also cited land-use violation notices at the facility and a complaint about boarded-up windows as demonstrations have intensified. Anti-ICE graffiti appeared on the building, and demonstrations have at times turned violent, with authorities deploying rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs to disperse crowds. In August, video showed protesters displaying a guillotine and clashing with police before law enforcement fired munitions to break up the crowd.

Protests have roiled Portland since June and have evolved into a national political flashpoint, highlighting tensions between federal immigration enforcement and city policies. The episode follows earlier deployments in blue cities, including Los Angeles during anti-ICE demonstrations in June and clashes near Newark’s Delaney Hall in May.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson warned that the city must address its homelessness problem before any deployment of federal troops or equipment. He suggested residents should not expect a quick, militarized solution to long-standing urban challenges and urged a measured approach to public-safety issues.

Portland has been a sanctuary city since 2017, a status that generally limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and has become a central point in national debates over immigration policy. In response, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Mayor Wilson urging the city to reaffirm its commitment to complying with federal law and reevaluate sanctuary policies; Portland City Attorney Robert Taylor replied that the city complies with applicable federal and state laws and will continue to do so.

The broader pattern across the country has featured blue-city protests and federal responses shaping the immigration debate in 2025. Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand noted the episode as part of ongoing tensions between local governance and federal enforcement priorities, underscoring the political risk for both sides as the matter moves forward.