WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared on Saturday his intention to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon, promising “Full Force” authorization if needed to tackle “domestic terrorists,” thus broadening his contentious troop deployments to more U.S. cities.
In a social media post, he announced he would instruct the Department of Defense to “deliver all necessary Troops to safeguard the war-torn Portland.”
According to Trump, the action is essential to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement buildings, which he claims are “under siege by Antifa and other domestic terrorist groups.”
The White House did not immediately provide further details about Trump’s declaration, such as deployment timelines or the specific troops slated to be involved. Previously, he threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago, but did not follow through. The anticipated deployment to Memphis, Tennessee, reportedly involves only around 150 troops, significantly fewer than those sent to Washington, D.C., during Trump’s initiatives or to Los Angeles in response to immigration demonstrations.
Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for information.
Following the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, the Republican leader has intensified his stance against what he labels the “radical left,” holding them responsible for issues related to political violence in the nation.
Over the summer, he sent the National Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles and initiated law enforcement control in the U.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 “unhinged behavior.”
Trump, in comments Thursday in the Oval Office, suggested some kind of operation was in the works.
“We’re going to get out there and we’re going to do a pretty big number on those people in Portland,” he said, describing them as “professional agitators and anarchists.”
Earlier in September, Trump had described living in Portland as “like living in hell” and said he was considering sending in federal troops, as he has recently threatened to do to combat crime in other cities, including Chicago and Baltimore.
“Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for — and do not need — federal intervention,” Portland’s mayor, Keith Wilson, said in a statement after Trump’s threat. Wilson said his city had protected freedom of expression while “addressing 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.
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