Oregon Officialsโ Condemn Trump‘s Threat of Military Intervention in Portland
PORTLAND, ORโค – Oregon Governor tina Kotek and Senator Ron Wyden have sharply โขcriticized President Donald Trump’s recent declaration regardingโฃ potentialโฃ military โintervention in Portland, dismissing his โclaims of widespread unrest and accusingโค him of seeking an “authoritarian takeover.” The dispute stemsโ from Trump’s statements on his Truth Social platform, where he asserted a need for “full violence if necessary” against protestors near local ICE facilities, referencing an application โhe โขapproved.
Theโ President’s claims โฃdirectly contradict assessments โฃfrom Oregon officials and reports indicating โthat demonstrations in Portland have beenโค small and largely โฃpeaceful. According to reports, fewer than 30 people typically participate in protests, and no arrests have been made since mid-June. Governor Kotek statedโข there are “no threats to national securityโค inโค Portland,” and that โ”our communities are โsafe and quiet.”
Senator Wyden characterized Trump’sโฃ move as an attemptโ to trigger a “conflict” in โthe city and initiate an “authoritarian takeover.”
This is not the โfirst instance of Trump deploying federalโ resources to cities experiencing protests. In June, he sentโค the โฃNational Guardโ and Marineโ infantry โขto Los Angeles, โand in August, he federalized the National Guard in Washington D.C., assuming control of local police forces. More recently, in mid-September, trump ordered the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, and has threatened similar deployments to democratic strongholds โincluding Chicago, New York, and โคNew Orleans.
Trump has justified these actions by citing crimeโ and perceived inaction from local โauthorities, a claim critics argue is an exaggeration intended to justify an increasingly authoritarian governing style.