Trump Sends Troops to Portland After Court Ruling
US President Donald Trump has ordered troops from California to Oregon after a court blocked his attempt to deploy the National Guard in Portland. The move has triggered strong backlash from state leaders, who accuse the administration of overreach and defiance of judicial authority.
The deployment circumvents a judge’s injunction by using National Guard members already stationed in Los Angeles. California Governor Gavin Newsom vowed to challenge the decision in court, describing it as a “breathtaking abuse of the law.” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also said Trump was redirecting units from Texas to support the operation.
Deployment and Federal Response
The Pentagon confirmed that 200 California National Guard soldiers were reassigned to Portland. Officials said their mission is to assist US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies in protecting government assets.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the move, saying Trump had “exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement.” She criticized Newsom for “siding with violent criminals instead of law-abiding citizens.”
Political and Legal Reactions
Governor Newsom condemned the deployment, accusing the president of ignoring court orders and using the military as a political tool. “This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power,” he said. “We will take this fight to court, but the public must not stay silent.”
Governor Pritzker added that Trump was also ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard to multiple states, including Illinois and Oregon. He urged Texas Governor Greg Abbott to refuse cooperation, calling the decision “reckless and authoritarian.”
Protests and Federal Crackdown
Protests have continued in Portland and several other cities over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. Portland has become a particular focus for Trump’s criticism, as he accuses local officials of tolerating what he calls “lawless Antifa extremists.”
The new deployment follows Trump’s earlier decision to send 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, citing public safety concerns after violent clashes between protesters and immigration officers. Local officials say the move will inflame tensions rather than calm them.
Rising Tensions Across States
Earlier in the summer, Trump deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles during widespread demonstrations against immigration raids. Newsom argued that the action only heightened unrest, while Trump claimed it prevented “the city from burning.”
The same troops from that earlier deployment are now being sent to Portland. Critics say the administration is testing the limits of federal power by repurposing military forces meant for state emergencies.
Pritzker said the White House is “manufacturing a crisis” to justify further military action. In a CNN interview, he warned that the strategy “creates a warzone to rationalize more troop deployments.”
National Divide
The escalating conflict underscores deep divisions between the federal government and Democratic-led states over law enforcement, immigration, and executive power. As protests continue nationwide, Trump maintains that strong federal intervention is necessary to restore order, while his opponents view it as an attempt to militarize domestic policy for political gain.
