Trump directs defense secretary to deploy troops to Portland

President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he was directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “provide all necessary Troops” to Portland.

In a post on Truth Social, the president wrote that the troops would “protect War ravaged Portland” and protect ICE facilities that he claimed are “under siege from attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists.”

Trump added that he is “authorizing Full Force, if necessary,” but didn’t clarify what that meant.

Over the last several days, the president has repeatedly spoken negatively about Portland, including saying on Thursday that “anarchy” is taking place in the West Coast city.

“You go out to Portland, people die out there. Many people have died over the years in Portland. Portland is, I don’t know how anybody lives there. It’s amazing, but it’s, it’s anarchy out there. That’s what they want. They want anarchy,” Trump said during remarks in the Oval Office on Thursday.

On Friday, in separate comments in the Oval Office, the president said people in Portland are “out of control.”

“Have you seen Portland at all? If you take a look what’s happening in Portland. It’s it has been going on for years. Just people out of control, crazy. We’re going to stop that very soon,” Trump said.