Overview

• Trump announced on Truth Social that he directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to send troops to protect Portland and ICE facilities and authorized the use of “total force, if necessary.”
• Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said there is no national‑security threat and that the city and state did not request troops.
• Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department stands ready to mobilize personnel in support of DHS, while the Oregon National Guard reported no formal request has been received.
• Officials pointed to this week’s shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas and an FBI‑shared image of a cartridge marked “ANTI‑ICE” as part of the justification, following the administration’s recent designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization.
• Recent demonstrations in Portland have centered on an ICE building and have been mostly peaceful, and Oregon’s Democratic congressional delegation called the unilateral action an abuse of executive authority that raises constitutional concerns.