Pentagon Federalizes 200 Oregon National Guard Troops Amid State Lawsuit

President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard troops under federal command to Portland, citing the need to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities from attacks by Antifa and other domestic terrorists. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memo federalizing the troops for 60 days, but the move sparked immediate backlash from Oregon's Democratic leadership, including Governor Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield. They filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the deployment violates the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement, and argued that there is no justification for militarizing Portland, which has seen only small-scale protests. The state leaders criticized the president's characterization of Portland as "war-ravaged" and condemned the deployment as an abuse of power and a political maneuver rather than a public safety measure. Pentagon officials were reportedly surprised by the order, which was communicated to local authorities primarily via social media. The controversy highlights the tension between federal authority and state sovereignty regarding the use of military forces for domestic issues.