U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, with authorization to use “full force” if required to manage the situation. He announced the directive on Saturday via the social media platform Truth Social.
According to BBC and Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, Trump directed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to deploy troops to protect the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland. He accused Antifa and other domestic extremists of threatening the facility.
The announcement comes amid the Trump administration’s increasingly hardline stance on immigration enforcement. Federal troops have been sent to safeguard public buildings and maintain security in multiple cities, including previous deployments to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., with preparations underway in Memphis as well.
The ICE building in Portland has been a focal point for ongoing protests over the past several months. Federal agents and demonstrators have frequently faced off outside the facility. Local authorities have called for calm, while city officials have demanded the building be closed, citing unauthorized detentions and alleged violations of land-use policies.
Trump has not specified which military units will be deployed, though he previously sent Marine forces to Los Angeles to quell unrest. Portland has repeatedly been singled out by the president as part of his political campaign against “radical left-wing” groups. Trump has also hinted at taking strict measures in the city of approximately 2.5 million residents.
Sources: BBC, Anadolu Agency