Pentagon officials received orders Saturday to mobilize military forces for Portland deployment, marking an expansion of domestic troop utilization under the current administration, The Wall Street Journal reported.
A Truth Social announcement from President Donald Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to position soldiers around Immigration and Customs Enforcement buildings, which the president described as facing attacks from antifa groups that federal authorities recently designated as terrorist organizations, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Authorization for "Full Force, if necessary" appeared in the presidential statement, suggesting weapons deployment permissions for military personnel, The Wall Street Journal noted.
Domestic military deployment boundaries continue expanding through these latest directives, sparking legal challenges about the armed forces' increasing presence within American cities. Military installations now serve as migrant detention facilities while National Guard units operate across Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and border regions.
Uncertainty remains about whether National Guard units or active-duty military personnel would deploy to Portland. Protection of "war ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE facilities," defined their stated objective.
Democratic Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon informed Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that local law enforcement could manage Portland's security needs during Saturday's communications. "There is no insurrection, there is no threat to national security, and there is no need for military troops in our major city," her news conference statement emphasized.
An ICE building in Portland has drawn protesters for more than 100 consecutive days, with federal police confrontations resulting in multiple demonstrator arrests. This week's presidential memorandum referenced Portland "riots" among expanding threats against ICE personnel.
Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed in his statement: "We stand ready to mobilize US military personnel in support of DHS operations in Portland at the President's direction."
Portland's Democratic Mayor Keith Wilson responded through a statement declaring, "The number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city. Our nation has a long memory for acts of oppression, and the president won't find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to perpetrate it."
Federal agent presence increased suddenly throughout the city, Wilson reported Friday. Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson confirmed Friday that federal personnel had arrived at a southwest Portland ICE facility, with additional agents observed throughout the vicinity.
Oregon's congressional delegation cautioned against reactive responses to what they described as presidential force projection. "Trump wants to tell a story of Portland that doesn't reflect who we are," Democratic Representative Maxine Dexter stated. "The Portland we love didn't ask for federal agents, and doesn't want federal agents."
Major Cities Chiefs Association data revealed Portland's violent crime declined during 2025's first half, with homicides dropping 51% against comparable 2024 periods.
National Guard deployments already reached Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Memphis under presidential orders citing crime concerns, immigration enforcement needs, and federal property protection requirements. Chicago deployment threats remained unfulfilled despite multiple announcements. New Orleans emerged as another potential site for deployment.
The Posse Comitatus Act establishes strict boundaries on military involvement in civilian law enforcement, prohibiting military personnel from participating in domestic policing except under narrow legal circumstances. Federal court proceedings this month determined that Los Angeles troop deployments responding to immigration policy demonstrations violated statutory restrictions.
