Oregon Leaders Prepare Legal Action Against Trump National Guard Deployment Plans in Portland

Oregon leaders, including Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Governor Tina Kotek, are preparing to challenge President Donald Trump’s potential deployment of the National Guard in Portland following his recent comments about sending troops to "clean up" the city and suppress protesters. Trump mentioned Portland as a possible National Guard deployment site during a media briefing, referencing a Fox News report about protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, though the footage cited was from the 2020 protests when federal agents used force under his previous orders. The president has labeled several Democrat-led cities as havens for violent crime, despite crime data often contradicting these claims. A recent federal court ruling in California found Trump's deployment of the National Guard and Marines during immigration-related protests illegal, blocking the use of military force as domestic law enforcement and raising concerns about the federal government creating a national police force under the president’s control. Oregon officials are coordinating with other states to litigate and legislate against any unauthorized National Guard mobilization, citing the California case as precedent. They emphasize preparedness to act should Trump attempt to overstep his authority with such deployments.