On Saturday, President Donald Trump confirmed that he would deploy forces to Portland, asserting he would utilize “full force if necessary” to address what he termed “local terrorists”, as he expands military presence to more U.S. cities.
Oregon’s Democratic Governor Tina Kotek responded by stating that Trump is misusing his authority by requesting troops to the city, which she claimed is handling its situation “just fine” on its own.
Trump announced his decision via social media, indicating that he has instructed the Department of Defense to “provide all necessary troops to protect Portland, which has been ravaged by violence.” He argued that the action is essential to safeguard facilities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he alleged are “under siege from attacks by Antifa and other local terrorists.”
As of now, the White House has not responded to inquiries about the specifics of Trump’s announcement, including a timeline for the deployment or the types of forces that will be involved.