Pentagon in Shock as National Guard Deployment to Portland Sparks Outrage

Kokcha News Agency: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hagerty on Sunday ordered the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard troops under federal control, as the state of Oregon filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s decision to send military forces to the Democrat-run city of Portland.

The Republican president announced on Saturday his intention to send troops to Portland, stating that they would be used to protect federal immigration centers from “domestic terrorists” and that he had authorized them to use “all necessary force” if required.

Trump’s deployment of military forces to other Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles and Washington D.C., has previously led to protests and legal challenges.

The Oregon lawsuit, filed on Sunday by Democratic Oregon Attorney General Dan Rifield in federal court in Portland, targets Trump, Hagerty, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Nom. The lawsuit accuses Trump of abusing his power.

Lawsuit Accuses Trump of Overstepping State Authority
The lawsuit states, “The President of the United States has relied on baseless and exaggerated claims, portraying Portland as a city under siege by ‘domestic terrorists’ and ‘ravaged by war.’ In doing so, the defendants have violated Oregon’s sovereignty to manage its law enforcement and National Guard resources.”

The complaint notes that protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Portland have been small and relatively contained since June.

Six U.S. officials told Reuters that Trump’s plan to deploy troops caught many in the Pentagon off guard. On Sunday, Hagerty signed a memorandum authorizing the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard troops under federal control. This memorandum was included as an appendix to Oregon’s lawsuit.

The Pentagon has not responded to requests for comment.

Troop Deployment for One Building?
Rifield said in a statement, “Deploying 200 National Guard troops to protect one building is not normal.” He was apparently referring to one of the immigration centers.

Crime in Portland Halved, but Trump Sends Troops
According to preliminary data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association’s mid-year crime report, violent crime in Portland has decreased in the first six months of 2025. The data shows that homicides have dropped by 51% compared to the same period last year.

Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has made crime a central focus of his administration, even as violent crime rates have declined in many U.S. cities.

In 2020, following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, protests erupted in downtown Portland—a city with a liberal reputation in the Pacific Northwest. The protests lasted for months, and some civil rights leaders at the time said that Trump’s deployment of federal forces only inflamed tensions rather than calming the situation.

Reuters reported that it is unclear whether Trump’s warning that U.S. forces could use “all necessary force” on the streets of Portland implies authorization for the use of deadly force, and if so, under what conditions. U.S. forces on domestic missions in the U.S. are allowed to use force in self-defense.

Portland Mayor Kate Wilson, like other Oregon officials, learned of Trump’s order on Saturday through social media. Many in Trump’s own Pentagon were caught off guard.

One U.S. official said, “This was completely unexpected.” The official added that the military had previously focused on cautious planning for the possibility of Trump deploying troops to cities like Chicago and Memphis.

Tensions in major U.S. cities have risen over Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, just days after a shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas left one detainee dead and two others seriously injured.