Under orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has officially deployed 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, for a 60-day period to address what the administration describes as a “liberal hellscape.” The move comes after Oregon filed a lawsuit challenging the deployment, citing violations of state sovereignty.
Trump announced Saturday that military forces would be sent to Portland to protect federal immigration facilities from “domestic terrorists,” authorizing troops to use “full force if necessary.” The decision has drawn immediate legal and political resistance. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s lawsuit accuses Trump of overstepping his authority, arguing that the deployment is based on “baseless, wildly hyperbolic pretext” and infringes on the state’s power to manage its own law enforcement.
The lawsuit highlights that protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Portland have been small and contained since June. Pentagon officials reportedly expressed surprise at the abrupt decision, with six unnamed sources telling Reuters the deployment caught them off guard. Hegseth’s memo authorizing the troop movement was released as part of Oregon’s legal filing.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the action, stating Trump is using “lawful authority” to protect federal assets and personnel following “months of violent riots.” However, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson criticized the move, calling it unlawful and unnecessary. Kotek emphasized that local authorities are capable of handling protests near federal facilities, asserting that military intervention undermines public safety.
The deployment has intensified debates over executive power and federal-state tensions, with Oregon vowing to fight the order in court.
