The US Nation Guard may soon find itself in Oregon combating a few dozen protesters on orders from President Donald Trump. The POTUS cited TV reports to insist on Friday that an “unbelievable” situation was unfolding in Portland as locals ‘destroyed’ the city — perhaps misled by footage from 2020 that was aired incorrectly on Fox News. Trump has already send federal troops into Washington DC to ramp “anti-crime initiatives”. Similar ‘takeovers’ are also planned for several other cities with a focus on the predominantly ‘blue’ Chicago, Baltimore and New Orleans.
“We’re gonna go to another place and straighten it out. I will say this…I watched today…I didn’t know that was continuing to go on. But Portland is unbelievable…what’s going on. The destruction of the city. I’m going to look at it now because I didn’t know that was still going on. This has been going on for years,” Trump told reporters on Friday.
Trump insisted that he had seen video evidence of “the destruction of the city” — citing erroneous TV reports to underscore his point. The POTUS told reporters that he had discovered the situation while watching television on Thursday night. The claims align with a Fox News broadcast that mixed photos of a recent protest in the city (attended by dozens of agitators) with a viral video clip from 2020. The publication had claimed that the old footage — showing the federal police striking one protestor with a baton, and using pepper spray and tear gas outside the courthouse — was shot in June 2025.
What is actually happening in Portland?
The Fox News report broadcast earlier this week had showed the resident of an apartment near an ICE building complaining about losing sleep due to noisy protests. It also claimed that the Portland police was refusing to respond to assaults linked to the agitation. The footage included a viral video of a civilian clashing with uniformed officials — shot in 2020 amid the George Floyd death protests.
Multiple US media reports indicate that small-scale protests have indeed taken place outside an ICE facility in Portland over the past few weeks. But the Immigration and Customs Enforcement site is located in a remote area outside the city and only a handful of agitators gather. According to reports, the current protests ‘attract dozens at most’ and the situation is nothing like the 2020 agitations.
Oregon officials push back
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a statement on Friday afternoon to reiterate that the city did not require federal intervention. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has also pushed back — citing sanctuary policies that aim to protect immigrant communities in the state.
“Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for – and do not need – federal intervention. We are proud that Portland police have successfully protected freedom of expression while addressing occasional violence and property destruction that takes place during protests at the ICE facility in Portland. We anticipate that the site, and the half-block surrounding it, will continue to be a focus of protests. Portland will continue to rise to the moment as a proud sanctuary city, taking legal action to stand up for our community and our rights,” Wilson said.