Trump deploys California National Guard to Portland

By Dan McCaleb
The Center Square

President Donald Trump on Sunday deployed California National Guard troops to Portland after a federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked the president from calling up the Oregon National Guard.

“My administration is aware that 101 federalized California National Guard members arrived in Oregon last night via plane, and it is our understanding that there are more on the way today,” Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said in a Sunday morning statement. “We have received no official notification or correspondence from the federal government regarding this action by the President. This action appears to [intentionally] circumvent yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge.”

Portland has been a hotspot for violent protests against Trump and his administration’s deportation efforts.

This past summer, Trump deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles to protect U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement agents from violent protesters opposed to his immigration policies. On Saturday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he was notified by Trump’s Department of War that 300 members of the Illinois National would be deployed to Chicago, where Trump has said they are needed to help reduce violent crime. Last month, Trump deployed the National Guard in Washington D.C. to address crime, which dropped significantly after the deployment.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would sue the Trump administration over this latest deployment.

In Oregon, Kotek said the guard is not needed.

“There is no need for military intervention in Oregon,” she said. “There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target. Oregonians exercising their freedom of speech against unlawful actions by the Trump Administration should do so peacefully.”