President Donald Trump said Saturday that he would send the military to Portland, Oregon. He described the city as "devastated by war," and the move aims to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities — which he claims are under siege by Antifa and "other domestic terrorists."

Trump posted on social media: "At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, I have directed the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy all necessary forces to protect the devastated city of Portland and any U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities under siege by Antifa and other domestic terrorists. If necessary, I authorize the use of all forces."

When CNN contacted the White House for clarification on what the president meant by "all forces" and what type of forces would be deployed, the White House provided no further explanation. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Theresa McLaurin, issued a statement on Saturday saying the move was in response to "violent riots at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities over the past weeks" and attacks on law enforcement.

"We will not allow domestic terrorists like Antifa to obstruct our mission to secure America. Anyone attempting to interfere will be held accountable," McLaurin said.

This is the latest example of Trump's willingness to use the military in an unusual way as part of his efforts to reduce crime in American cities. He deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in June and to Washington, D.C. last month. He has also threatened to send troops to several other cities led by Democrats, such as Baltimore and Chicago.

Shortly after the president's post, McLaurin told Fox News that the Trump administration was investigating the "highly organized nature" of protests in some American cities, claiming that some were paid for and funded. There is no evidence supporting McLaurin's claims.

"No matter if it's Portland, or Chicago, or anywhere else, we will bring the resources we need to ensure the safety of Americans," she added.

According to KPTV, an affiliate of CNN, state and local leaders including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter, and city council members urged the community to maintain peace during a press conference on Friday night, following an increase in federal agent activity in the city.

"What I know is that the president sent agents to Portland to create chaos and unrest to provoke a reaction. To incite protests. To incite conflict. His goal is to make Portland look like he describes it," Merkley said. "Our job is to say, 'We won't fall for it.'"

Wilson said in a statement on Saturday that there was no need to deploy the military and added that the president "won't find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to do so."

Imagine if the federal government sent hundreds of engineers, teachers, or outreach workers to Portland instead of a short, expensive, and futile show of force," the mayor wrote.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek wrote on social media on Saturday that her office had not received notice of the military deployment.

"My office is seeking more information from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security. We have not received any information about the reason or purpose of the military mission," Kotek wrote. "Portland does not have a national security threat. Our communities are safe and peaceful."

Later on Saturday, she posted on X that she had spoken with Trump and Noem, during which she stated that Portland and Oregon could "manage our local public safety needs."

Before announcing this move, a shooter opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas, with investigators believing the target was ICE personnel and property. He killed one detainee and injured two others.

Throughout the summer, the ICE facility located about two miles south of downtown Portland has been a center for protests. Most demonstrations have been peaceful, but some ended with the deployment of tear gas, leading to the facility being closed for several days during the summer.

Trump was expected to take action in Portland on Thursday, and he again told reporters that protesters were getting "a lot of money" to cause chaos.

"We're going out, we're going to do a lot of investigation into those people in Portland who do this. They're professional agitators and anarchists," Trump said.

Earlier this month, Trump designated the anti-fascist group (Antifa) as a "domestic terrorist organization." Antifa refers to a loose faction of left-wing or anarchist individuals who appear during protests against police or government. The White House emphasized the events in Portland, which is one of the earliest places where the term "Antifa" was used as a nickname.

In 2020, during Trump's first term, law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security were deployed to the downtown area of Portland following the protests after the murder of George Floyd.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7554941334113763859/

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