On October 1, 2025, Portland, Oregon found itself at the center of a national debate as 200 to 250 National Guard troops began reporting for duty, tasked with defending federal buildings and employees amid ongoing protests and mounting political tensions. The troops, according to ABC News, underwent initial military training that included legal briefings and reviews of special rules for the use of force in domestic situations. Their deployment, while not expected to place them on Portland’s streets until the week of October 6, has already sparked fierce legal and political battles, highlighting deep divisions over the use of military force in American cities.
The operation comes in response to President Donald Trump’s recent call for U.S. cities to serve as military "training grounds," a notion that has alarmed legal experts and drawn sharp criticism from local and state officials. According to a statement from Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell, "Members of the Oregon National Guard are reporting for duty, conducting training, and preparing to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property in Oregon."
President Trump has made clear his intent to restore what he calls "LAW AND ORDER" in cities he describes as beset by chaos and violence. In a Truth Social post, he declared, "the National Guard is now in place, and has been dedicated to restoring LAW AND ORDER, and ending the Chaos, Death, and Destruction!" The White House has painted Portland as "war ravaged" and claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities are "under siege from attack by Antifa." Trump’s rhetoric has only intensified, with warnings of an "invasion from within" and authorization of "Full Force, if necessary," as reported by TNND.
The deployment in Portland is part of a broader strategy. The Trump administration has sent National Guard troops into several cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Memphis, and now, potentially, Chicago and New Orleans. In Washington, over 2,200 troops have been ordered to perform tasks ranging from patrolling to picking up trash and painting fences. In Los Angeles, National Guard troops were sent earlier this summer to quell protests over immigration raids, a move that was met with strong opposition from Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, who argued that the deployment inflamed tensions rather than calming them.
Chicago, too, has been in the administration’s sights. Although Trump shelved plans to send troops there last month after advisers warned of potential legal challenges, federal agents have ramped up deportations of undocumented immigrants, and the administration is now deploying 100 National Guard troops to Illinois. Democratic Governor JB Pritzker has been vocal in his opposition, stating, "With one voice, we are telling this unwarranted and unconstitutional occupation by ICE and potentially by military troops to get out of Chicago. You are not helping us." Protests near an ICE facility outside Chicago have grown increasingly tense, and hundreds have been arrested in recent weeks as part of "Operation Midway Blitz."
Memphis, on the other hand, has seen a more cooperative approach between federal and state authorities. Republican Governor Bill Lee has welcomed the National Guard’s support, and 219 officers have been "special deputized," leading to nine arrests and the confiscation of two illegal firearms on the first day of the operation. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, after meeting with local authorities, said, "Our operation in Memphis is now underway, and we're just getting started." In Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry has requested up to 1,000 National Guard troops to address crime in cities like Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, citing elevated crime rates and shortages of local law enforcement.
Despite the administration’s insistence that these deployments are necessary to protect federal property and enforce the law, the moves have encountered significant resistance from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, after filing a lawsuit to block the deployment, told reporters, "there is no insurrection or threat to public safety that necessitates military intervention in Portland or any other city in our state. Local law enforcement has this under control." Portland Mayor Keith Wilson echoed this sentiment, stating, "The number of necessary troops is zero." Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley accused the administration of deliberately trying to create chaos to justify the military presence, saying, "The president has sent agents here to create chaos and riots here in Portland, to induce a reaction. To induce protests. To induce conflicts. His goal is to make Portland look as he was describing it as. Our job is to say, ‘We are not going to take the bait.’"
Legal challenges have quickly followed the deployments. Several cities have filed lawsuits against the administration, arguing that the president lacks the legal authority to deploy troops domestically in this manner. Oregon’s lawsuit contends that the White House is using protests dating back to 2020 to justify activating the National Guard, a move they claim risks inciting new unrest. The court filing argues, "Far from promoting public safety, Defendants’ provocative and arbitrary actions threaten to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry. Defendants’ deployment of troops to Oregon is patently unlawful." In a notable development, a federal judge in California ruled earlier in October that Trump had illegally deployed troops to Los Angeles this summer, violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which strictly limits the role of federal troops in domestic law enforcement. That decision is currently under appeal.
White House officials, for their part, have argued that the president’s actions are both lawful and necessary. "President Trump is taking lawful action to protect federal law enforcement officers and address the out-of-control violence that local residents have complained about and Democrat leaders have failed to stop," spokesperson Abigail Jackson told CNN. Behind the scenes, administration officials have acknowledged that the protection of ICE facilities also serves as a pretext for a broader federal crime crackdown. "You can kill two birds with one stone," one official said, suggesting the dual purpose of the deployments.
Meanwhile, the National Guard members assigned to Portland are preparing for their mission without pay, as all Guard troops deployed across the country are among the two million active-duty troops working without compensation due to an ongoing government shutdown. The administration is closely monitoring the response of Portland residents, reserving the right to increase the number of troops if protests escalate. As one White House official put it, "The president has seen success in places like Los Angeles to quell these types of riots."
Most protests outside the ICE facility in Portland have been peaceful, but there have been sporadic incidents of violence, including the use of tear gas and temporary closures of the facility. According to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, 27 people have been charged for activities outside the facility, mostly for assaulting federal officers or failing to obey lawful orders. As the city awaits a federal judge’s decision on whether to block the National Guard deployment, Portland continues to emphasize its "sanctuary city" status and remains at odds with the Trump administration over the necessity and legality of the federal presence.
The debate over the use of military force in American cities is far from settled. As legal battles play out in the courts and political rhetoric intensifies, the situation in Portland stands as a vivid illustration of the broader struggle over federal authority, local autonomy, and the limits of presidential power in times of unrest.
