Trump says he’ll send troops to Portland, Oregon, in latest deployment to US cities
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary鈥 to handle 鈥渄omestic terrorists鈥 as he expands his controversial deployments to more American cities.
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary鈥 to handle 鈥渄omestic terrorists鈥 as he expands his controversial deployments to more American cities.
He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defense to 鈥減rovide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.鈥
Trump said the decision was necessary to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he described as 鈥渦nder siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.鈥
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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for details on Trump鈥檚 announcement, such as a timeline for the deployment or what troops would be involved. He previously threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago without following through. A deployment in Memphis, Tennessee, is expected to include , far less than were sent to the District of Columbia for Trump鈥檚 crackdown or in Los Angeles in response to immigration protests.
Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for information.
Since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Republican president has escalated his efforts to confront what he calls the 鈥渞adical left,鈥 which he blames for the country鈥檚 problems with political violence.
He deployed the National Guard and active-duty Marines to over the summer and as part of his law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
The ICE facility in Portland has been the target of frequent demonstrations, sometimes leading to violent clashes. Some federal agents have been injured and several protesters have been charged with assault. When protesters erected a guillotine earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security described it as 鈥渦nhinged behavior.鈥
Trump, in comments Thursday in the Oval Office, suggested some kind of operation was in the works.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get out there and we鈥檙e going to do a pretty big number on those people in Portland,鈥 he said, describing them as 鈥減rofessional agitators and anarchists.鈥
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Earlier in September, Trump had described living in Portland as 鈥渓ike living in hell鈥 and said he was considering sending in federal troops, as he has recently threatened to do to combat crime in other cities, and .
鈥淟ike other mayors across the country, I have not asked for -鈥 and do not need -鈥 federal intervention,鈥 Portland’s mayor, Keith Wilson, said in a statement after Trump鈥檚 threat. Wilson said his city had protected freedom of expression while 鈥渁ddressing occasional violence and property destruction.”
In Tennessee, Memphis has been bracing for an influx of National Guard troops, and on Friday, Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who helped coordinate the operation, said they will be part of a surge of resources to fight crime in the city.
