Troops Arrive as President Vows to Quell “Lawless Mayhem” Amidst Ongoing Leftist Riots
The National Guard has begun deploying troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect federal immigration facilities and personnel from ongoing attacks and unrest in the city. The deployment comes shortly after President Donald Trump announced on social media that the Guard was “now in place” to counteract “lawless mayhem.”
Troops started reporting for duty in Portland on Wednesday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that members of the Oregon National Guard are “conducting training, and preparing to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property in Oregon.”
The deployment is a direct response to months of protests and attacks targeting federal immigration officials and property in Portland, which have led to dozens of arrests and charges since President Trump took office.
In a forceful statement made on Wednesday, President Trump asserted the need for federal intervention: “We will never allow MOBS to take over our streets, burn our Cities, or destroy America … We are a Nation of LAW, and we will PREVAIL. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Legal Challenge Mounts Against Deployment
The move has already ignited a legal battle, with state and city officials challenging the federal order. Oregon Democratic Attorney General Dan Rayfield and the city of Portland filed a lawsuit against President Trump on Sunday.
The suit challenges a DOW memo formalizing the troop deployment plans, arguing that the action “threatens the economic well-being of the people of Oregon.”
The arrival of the National Guard signals an escalation of the federal government’s response to the civil unrest in Portland, setting the stage for a potential confrontation between federal forces and local demonstrators, as well as a significant legal battle between the state and the White House.
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