Collins highlighted that the blocking judge had been appointed by Trump himself and that the judge’s decision was due to the deployment being deemed as ‘untethered to what was actually happening on the ground.’ She questioned, ‘Which local officials in Portland have indicated a need for the National Guard, if any?’

Leavitt, clearly agitated, replied, ‘With all due respect to that judge, I believe her opinion is untethered from reality and legal grounding.’ She added that the administration was appealing the decision and expressed confidence in Trump’s legal authority, expecting a favorable outcome.

As the discussion intensified, Collins pressed on, pointing out a statement from Portland’s police chief contradicting the president’s claims. Collins remarked, ‘But no local officials that you can point to that have endorsed the need for the National Guard?’

The press secretary, evidently annoyed by Collins’ persistence, urged her to investigate the situation personally. Leavitt recommended for her ‘to go on the ground and to see for yourself.’ She argued that independent journalists, soon to be invited to the White House, had firsthand accounts of the unrest in Portland.

Leavitt continued, ‘It’s all captured on video. You should air it during your CNN primetime show.’ She accused Collins of engaging with ‘partisan Democrat officials’ who opposed the presidency and urged talking to Portland residents, noting that community feedback highlighted ‘complete civil disobedience.’

‘It’s a mess. It’s been loud. It’s being troubling for neighbors in the community who are just trying to live peacefully. And these people are not there to peacefully protest. They are there to cause mayhem and havoc.’ Videos from Portland show crowds of black-clad, left-wing protesters regularly causing trouble outside an ICE depot in the city.

Local residents have complained their lives have been made utterly miserable by the round-the-clock noise and chaos that is unfolding in response to Trump’s immigration crackdown. But anti-ICE protesters have been branded violent thugs, with independent journalist Katie Daviscourt left with a black eye after being attacked by an Antifa protester.

The clash unfolded on the heels of a growing controversy surrounding Trump’s use of National Guard troops. The White House has attempted to use troops from Texas to crack down on crime in a number of Democrat-led cities, including Portland and Chicago, even as the city’s leaders say it would be unnecessary.

On Sunday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker accused Trump of trying to ‘invade’ his state , saying around 400 National Guard troops would be sent to Chicago to deal with anti-ICE protesters and Trump’s so-called war on crime.

‘We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,’ Pritzker said in an X post. ‘No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate. ‘It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.’