Trump orders US troops to Portland, ICE facilities to handle ‘domestic terrorists’
The move to ‘protect War ravaged Portland’ expands on the US president’s controversial deployments to more American cities
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he will send troops to Portland, “authorising Full Force, if necessary” to handle “domestic terrorists” as he expands his deployments to more American cities.
He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defence to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland”.
Trump said the decision was necessary to protect US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he alleged are “under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists”.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for details on Trump’s announcement, such as a timeline for the deployment or what troops would be involved.
Portland’s mayor, Democrat Keith Wilson, said there was no need for troops in his city. “Our nation has a long memory of acts of oppression, and the president will not find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to perpetrate it,” he said.
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Early on Saturday, there was no sign of any federal presence in the city’s downtown, where people jogged along the Willamette River, relaxed by a riverside fountain or rode bikes on a sunny fall day.