Oregon is taking President Trump to court in a bid to stop the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, arguing the move threatens state sovereignty and could fuel unrest, the Oregonian reports. State Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced Sunday that Oregon, joined by the city of Portland, filed a lawsuit aiming to block the federal order, which would send 200 Oregon National Guard members to the city for 60 days. The legal action follows a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, outlining the mobilization of the Guard for "protection of federal law facilities."
Trump had described Portland as "war ravaged" on social media the day prior, arguing the move was necessary, and he spoke to Kotek briefly after the post and told her he believed the city's federal courthouse was "under attack." But Oregon officials deny that, and contend the president's plan oversteps state authority and is not justified by current conditions. According to the suit, recent protests outside Portland's federal immigration facility have been small, usually involving fewer than 30 people.
Rayfield, Kotek, and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson voiced their concerns in a joint news conference Sunday, describing the deployment as an infringement on state sovereignty and a violation of federal law. Kotek said she was given no details about when the troops would arrive or what mission they would carry out. "I don't need them in Portland," she added, calling the assignment "a mission without a clear goal." The state's lawsuit argues that federalizing the Guard under these circumstances violates the 10th Amendment and would disrupt local law enforcement's efforts. Critics say the presence of troops risks escalating tensions and could undermine public safety and local business.
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As KGW reports, Trump himself seemed to question his own perception of the situation in Portland hours before the federal order. During a Sunday morning interview on NBC, the president referenced his phone call with Kotek the day prior. "I spoke to the governor, she was very nice," he said. "But I said, 'Well wait a minute, am I watching things on television that are different from what's happening? My people tell me different.' They are literally attacking and there are fires all over the place ... it looks like terrible." Wilson said the videos Trump seems to be referring to are from years ago, and has been "recycled and then recycled again," Fox News reports.
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