In a bold move to curb escalating violence, President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of U.S. troops to Portland, Oregon, to safeguard Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities from threats posed by Antifa, a group he has labeled as a terrorist entity, as the Daily Caller reports.
The decision comes after weeks of violent unrest tied to Antifa-linked groups, with Trump directing military support to protect ICE facilities following a request from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On Sept. 17, Trump took to Truth Social to denounce Antifa, calling it a "DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER" and officially branding it a "MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION."
This statement set the stage for heightened federal action as reports of violence targeting ICE locations surged across the country.
Between June and September, Portland witnessed over half a dozen violent protests, including incidents of arson and assaults on law enforcement officers.
One particularly alarming event involved a guillotine being placed outside an ICE facility in the city, symbolizing a direct threat to federal personnel.
DHS also confirmed three specific acts of anti-ICE aggression in Portland during late June, following earlier disturbances at ICE sites in Los Angeles.
Adding to the tension, Rose City Antifa, a Portland-based group, has been linked to past violence, including a 2019 attack on journalist Andy Ngo that resulted in severe injury.
DHS further accused Rose City Antifa of illegally exposing personal details of ICE officers online and distributing threatening messages to agency staff.
On Saturday, Trump announced the deployment of troops to Portland, emphasizing the need to defend what he described as "war ravaged" areas and ICE facilities under attack.
He stated his intent "to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists."
In the same announcement, Trump added, "I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary," signaling a strong stance against the ongoing unrest.
The order came after a direct appeal from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who sought federal intervention to restore stability in affected regions.
DHS's assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, supported the move, stating, "President Trump and Secretary Noem are taking action to restore law and order following weeks of violent riots at ICE facilities, assaults on law enforcement, and the terrorist attack at our ICE facility in Dallas."
She further declared, "We are not going to allow domestic terrorists to attack our law enforcement," highlighting DHS's resolve to confront the violence head-on.
McLaughlin also noted, "DHS has already arrested dozens of Antifa-aligned left-wing violent extremists who have attacked law enforcement, murdered innocent civilians, and launched a wave of violent riots throughout the United States."
The White House has pointed fingers at Oregon's Democrat-heavy leadership, including Gov. Tina Kotek and Judge Ellen Rosenblum, for what it perceives as an inadequate response to the Antifa-related chaos.
Portland, governed by Democrat mayors since 1993 and with a fully Democrat-controlled city council, has become a focal point for criticism over handling local security issues.