Trump orders troops to Portland and Memphis; Oregon federalizes Guard members and sues
President Trump ordered federal deployments to Portland and Memphis, posting on Truth Social and naming Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide troops; the Pentagon confirmed a DoD memo federalized 200 Oregon National Guard members for a 60‑day deployment to Portland and federal agents and troops have confronted protesters near an ICE facility. Oregon officials — Gov. Tina Kotek, Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson — filed a federal lawsuit Sept. 28, 2025 seeking to block the deployment as federal overreach, and both state and defense officials reported confusion about whether the Pentagon had formally issued the order.
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🔍 Key Facts
- President Trump posted on Truth Social saying he ordered troops to Portland, authorized "all necessary Troops"/"Full Force, if necessary," described the city as "war‑ravaged," and named Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide troops.
- The Department of Defense authorized 200 Oregon National Guard members to be federalized for a 60‑day deployment to Portland to "protect federal property," via a DoD memo to Gov. Tina Kotek.
- Federal agents and troops began arriving in Portland; reports say at least one clash occurred between federal officers and protesters outside a Portland ICE facility and protests continued into the night.
- Oregon and Portland officials pushed back: Gov. Tina Kotek called the President’s description a false narrative meant to spur conflict, Mayor Keith Wilson said the city needed "zero" troops, and Oregon filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 28, 2025 naming AG Dan Rayfield, Gov. Kotek and Mayor Wilson as plaintiffs seeking to block the deployment.
- There was early confusion between the White House and the Pentagon: a U.S. official told NPR the Pentagon had not yet issued a deployment order and learned of Trump's request from media, though a Pentagon spokesman (Sean Parnell) later provided on‑the‑record confirmation about plans to send 200 Guard members to Portland.
- Federal troops were also expected in other cities: reporting said troops are expected in Memphis this week, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his administration learned of plans to deploy 100 troops to Illinois to protect ICE personnel and facilities.
- PBS framed the President’s remarks at a gathering of military leaders as signaling a broader vision that could include domestic deployments, providing context for the specific city orders that followed.
📍 Contextual Background
- During a U.S. federal government shutdown, active-duty military personnel and deployed National Guard members must continue to perform their assigned duties but their pay is delayed until the shutdown ends.
- Congress enacted the Pay Our Military Act in 2013 to ensure military pay and allowances continued during a government shutdown.
- The Department of Homeland Security released a statement saying the officer was being relieved of current duties while a full investigation was conducted and denouncing the officer's conduct as unacceptable.
- Civilian personnel whose work the Department of Defense designates as 'excepted' continue to work during a government shutdown, while other Department of Defense civilian employees are furloughed.
- Department of Defense contingency guidance listed priority missions during a shutdown in the following order: operations to secure the U.S. Southern Border; Middle East operations; the U.S. missile defense project Golden Dome for America; depot maintenance; shipbuilding; and critical munitions.
- Video footage captured an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer pushing a visibly upset Ecuadoran woman to the ground outside an immigration court at the 26 Federal Plaza building in Manhattan.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Against a Unitary Executive
"The analysis criticizes recent unilateral presidential uses of force and administrative authority—typified by orders to send troops and federalize Guard units—as symptomatic of a dangerous 'unitary executive' doctrine, urging stronger legal and political checks to protect separation of powers, federalism and civil liberties."
📰 Sources (5)
At gathering of military leaders, Trump hints at deployment in U.S. cities
New information:
- PBS frames the president’s remarks at the gathering as a broader vision that could include domestic deployments, providing context for later specific orders by the administration (it describes the hinting/vision rather than announcing new city deployments).
News Wrap: Pentagon confirms plans to send 200 National Guard members to Portland
New information:
- Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell provided an on‑the‑record confirmation and quote about the deployment.
- PBS reports Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his administration learned of plans to deploy 100 troops to Illinois to protect ICE personnel and facilities.
3 things to know about Trump's plan to send troops to Portland and Memphis
New information:
- President Trump posted on Truth Social saying he ordered troops to Portland and authorized 'Full Force, if necessary,' and named Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to provide troops.
- A U.S. official told NPR the Pentagon had not yet issued a deployment order and learned of Trump's request from media, indicating confusion between the White House and Pentagon.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting reported the Department of Defense called 200 Oregon National Guard members into federal service for a 60-day deployment via a DoD memo to Governor Tina Kotek.
- Mayor Keith Wilson publicly disputed the need for troops, saying 'the necessary troops needed for the city is zero,' and Portland and Oregon officials moved to file a federal lawsuit alleging overreach.
- NPR reports federal officers had confronted protesters at Portland's ICE facility and that protests continued into the night, and that federal troops are also expected in Memphis this week.
Oregon sues over Trump admin's 'war-ravaged Portland' National Guard troop deployment
New information:
- Oregon filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 28, 2025 seeking to block the deployment; plaintiffs named include AG Dan Rayfield, Gov. Tina Kotek and Mayor Keith Wilson.
- Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the federally controlled Oregon National Guard to station 200 troops in Portland for 60 days to 'protect federal property.'
- President Trump posted on Truth Social calling for 'all necessary Troops' to 'protect war‑ravaged Portland'; federal agents began arriving over the weekend and at least one clash occurred outside a Portland ICE facility.
Things to know about federal law enforcement activity in Chicago, Portland, Memphis
New information:
- Confirms President Trump directed deployment of 200 National Guard troops to Portland and quotes his social‑media language framing the city as 'War ravaged'.
- Provides immediate governor quote (Tina Kotek) calling the President’s description a false narrative meant to spur conflict.