Business leaders and Oregon officials urge Trump not to send federal troops to Portland
President Trump announced he was directing the Department of Defense to provide troops to Portland — authorizing "Full Force, if necessary" to protect an ICE facility and naming Pete Hegseth after a request from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem — citing protest‑related incidents at the site. Oregon officials including Gov. Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said troops were not needed, and business and civic leaders organized by the Portland Metro Chamber released an open letter signed by more than 100 organizations (including Oregon Business & Industry and Sen. Ron Wyden) urging the president not to deploy forces, while Sen. Rand Paul said he believed the president had legal authority but would "prefer not" to send troops.
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📰 Sources (9)
It’s Trump vs. Portland Again in Clash Over Federal Troops
New information:
- Portland Metro Chamber organized an open letter released Sunday signed by more than 100 organizations urging the president not to deploy troops.
- The open letter's signatories include the Oregon Business & Industry association and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.
- A direct quote from the letter calling the president's statements 'inaccurate and counterproductive.'
Sen. Rand Paul says he would "prefer not to have troops" in Portland, but supports Trump's action
New information:
- Sen. Rand Paul publicly said he 'would prefer not to have troops' in Portland while expressing support for President Trump's action to deploy troops.
- Paul stated on CBS's 'Face the Nation' that he believes 'there is a role if the states will not step up.'
- Paul said he had not yet been briefed on the administration's plans in Portland.
Transcript: Sen. Rand Paul on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Sept. 28, 2025
New information:
- Sen. Rand Paul states on camera that he believes the President has 'legal authority to send troops to protect federal buildings and federal proceedings' and cites Civil Rights Era precedents — a senior legislative voice endorsing the legal basis for deployments.
- Paul emphasizes preference for state consent but says federal authority exists even without it, offering congressional oversight perspective as Homeland Security chairman.
Portland mayor condemns federal intervention, claims videos of anti-ICE riots were from years ago
New information:
- Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said the number of necessary troops for Portland is 'zero' and called the city 'not a military target.'
- Wilson alleged videos showing violence used to justify federal intervention were 'from five years ago' and 'recycled and then recycled again.'
- Mayor Wilson suggested Trump send engineers, teachers or outreach workers rather than troops and criticized the deployment as a 'short, expensive and fruitless show of force.'
- Article references violent August protest footage (protesters rolling out a guillotine, lighting fires) and says protests at the ICE facility have occurred 'since June.'
Trump says he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, in latest deployment to US cities
New information:
- President Trump posted on social media saying he was "authorizing Full Force, if necessary" and directing DOD to provide troops to Portland.
- Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said she spoke directly with Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem earlier the same day and told them troops were not needed; she stated she does not plan to call up the Oregon National Guard.
- Article notes there was no visible federal presence downtown at the time and includes on‑the‑ground observations (people jogging, riverside activity).
- Contextual operational detail: mentions an expected Memphis deployment of about 150 troops and references past deployments (Los Angeles) and ongoing legal appeals over guard use.
Trump plans to send troops to Portland, Oregon; governor says it is "not needed here"
New information:
- Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and other state officials held a news conference Saturday publicly opposing President Trump's social‑media announcement to send federal troops to Portland.
- Governor Kotek is quoted characterizing the planned deployment as 'not needed here' (as reported by CBS News video).
- CBS News published video coverage of both the president's post and the governor's news conference.
Trump vows 'full force' as he plans to send troops to Portland amid anti-ICE protests
New information:
- Direct verbatim quote from President Trump’s Truth Social post authorizing 'Full Force' and naming 'Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth' to provide troops
- DHS placed a new American flag on the Portland ICE facility after protesters burned other flags (operational detail)
- Recap of local enforcement and land‑use disputes: city issued land‑use violation notices concerning detainee-holding practices and boarded windows, and protests have included a guillotine display
Trump says he plans to send troops to Portland, Oregon
New information:
- Article reproduces Trump’s Truth Social wording and direct quote authorizing 'Full Force, if necessary.'
- Specifies that the deployment was made 'At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.'
- Names Pete Hegseth as the official (styled in the post as 'Secretary of War') directed to provide the troops
- Provides context on the Portland ICE facility protests (including references to a recently erected guillotine and injuries to federal agents) and quotes Portland Mayor Keith Wilson denying he asked for federal intervention
Trump says he'll send troops to Portland, Ore., to handle 'domestic terrorists'
New information:
- President Trump publicly directed the Department of Defense to provide troops to Portland, Oregon on September 27, 2025.
- Trump said he was "authorizing Full Force, if necessary" to protect ICE facilities he described as "under siege by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists."
- Portland Mayor Keith Wilson stated the city had not requested federal intervention; the ICE facility in Portland has been the site of frequent demonstrations and clashes.