() Comments from Oregon’s top military leader, testifying before state lawmakers several days ago, are making the rounds on social media.
In the clip, Brigadier General Alan Gronewold said Oregon National Guard members “will be protecting any protesters at the ICE facility.”
His comments on Sept. 30, however, do not match his authority at the moment.
With President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the Guard, the command over Gronewold’s troops has shifted to the U.S. Northern Command.
Before the troops were federalized, Gronewold’s promise to safeguard local protesters was reinforced in a communication to state soldiers and airmen.
“I understand some of you might feel strongly about this mission. That’s alright. You are citizens first and foremost, but you’re also service members bound by an oath to support and defend the Constitution and obey the President and the Governor’s orders. That oath doesn’t have a disclaimer that says, ‘only if I agree with the mission.’ We don’t choose. We follow lawful orders with integrity and honor, period. This defines us. This is the essence of the National Guard,” Gronewold expressed.
On Wednesday, a federal appeals court lifted a judge’s prohibition against President Trump’s federal activation of Oregon National Guard troops, though deployment remains paused.
The temporary administrative stay suspends U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s order stopping Trump’s federalization of National Guard members while the appeals court deliberates on extending the pause during the administration’s appeal process. However, it maintains her order preventing the president from deploying the troops within the state.
A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit stated in a brief order Wednesday that this decision best maintains the “status quo.”
“The effect of granting an administrative stay preserves the status quo in which National Guard members have been federalized but not deployed,” they wrote.
The panel made up of two Trump appointees and an appointee of President Clinton will hear arguments Thursday about whether to pause Immergut’s order until ruling on the administration’s appeal.
local affiliate KOIN in Portland contributed to this report.
