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Trump says he’ll send troops to Portland, authorizes ‘full force’

Protesters gather outside an apparent ICE detention center on June 14 in Portland during nationwide “No Kings” protests. Trump declared Saturday that he had directed troops to be sent to Portland, and authorized them to use “full force” to put down protests directed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. (New York Times)
Fedor Zarkhin and Mims Copeland Oregonian

President Donald Trump on Saturday authorized sending federal troops to protect “War ravaged Portland.”

It was the latest in a string of comments from the president about threatening federal intervention and inaccurately characterizing what is happening in the city.

“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. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

It’s not immediately clear if or when troops would arrive in Portland or which branch of the military might be involved.

“We haven’t had an official request at this time,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, a spokesperson for the Oregon National Guard. “Any request that would come would be coordinated through the governor’s office.”

The president appears to be referring to the ongoing protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland. Those protests peaked in June, with flare-ups off-and-on since then, but have involved no more than several dozen people in recent weeks.

Portland mayor Keith Wilson and other Oregon leaders gathered Friday to sound the alarm about the apparent increased federal presence at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility south of downtown Portland.