President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that National Guard troops have been deployed to Oregon to restore order during violent anti-ICE protests. The president stated on Truth Social that he authorized “Full Force, if necessary” to protect Portland and ICE facilities from attacks by “Antifa and other domestic terrorists.”
Trump’s decision followed weeks of clashes at an ICE facility in Portland, where left-wing agitators have staged sustained demonstrations with backing from city officials. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) disputed the necessity of military intervention, asserting during a news conference that the state could manage its “public safety needs” without federal troops. She condemned the situation as “no insurrection” and emphasized there was “no threat to national security.”
Meanwhile, independent journalist Katie Daviscourt reported being physically attacked by an Antifa protester outside the ICE facility. The assailant struck her with a flag pole before fleeing into an apartment near the site, which has served as a gathering point for agitators. Portland Police did not make an arrest, leaving Daviscourt to describe the response as “absolutely nothing.”
Trump reiterated his stance on Truth Social, accusing Antifa and “Radical Left Anarchists” of targeting federal officers and undermining “the Rule of Law.” He criticized Kotek’s assertion that there was no crisis in Portland, calling her claims “a Dream World” and labeling the city a “NEVER-ENDING DISASTER.”
The deployment comes as federal courts continue to address legal challenges against the Trump administration’s policies, including a recent ruling on religious exemptions for the contraceptive mandate.
