Former President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he has authorized the deployment of federal troops to Portland, Oregon, and to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities across the country.
The move extends his controversial use of military force in response to domestic unrest.
This latest decision follows similar troop deployments during Trump’s presidency in cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., often against the wishes of local Democratic leaders.
“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 ICE facilities under attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“I am also authorizing full force, if necessary,” he added, without clarifying what that would entail.
Portland has been a focal point for demonstrations, particularly near an ICE facility, amid public outrage over the Trump administration’s strict immigration enforcement policies.
The city also saw significant unrest during Trump’s first term, especially during the racial justice protests following the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
Protests have erupted at ICE facilities nationwide, driven by opposition to Trump’s aggressive deportation agenda, which has involved raids by heavily armed federal agents.
These tactics have clashed with the policies of “sanctuary” cities like Portland, which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Trump initially deployed troops to Los Angeles in June, bypassing the Democratic governor and triggering legal challenges over presidential authority in domestic law enforcement.
Saturday’s announcement came just days after a deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Texas, where one detainee was killed and two others seriously wounded.
The suspected shooter, who died by suicide, reportedly intended to target ICE agents from a nearby rooftop.
The shooting follows the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a university campus. In response, Trump declared the left-wing Antifa movement a “domestic terrorist group,” a designation that critics fear could be used to justify the suppression of dissent under the guise of national security.
“We are witnessing domestic terrorist sedition against the federal government,” wrote Trump advisor Stephen Miller on X (formerly Twitter) Friday night.
“All necessary resources will be utilized,” he added.
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