Trump Directs Hegseth to Deploy Troops in Portland

President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he plans to direct Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect “war-ravaged” Portland. The president stated that the troops would defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities targeted by Antifa, a movement he designated as a domestic terrorist organization earlier this week.

Trump indicated that the decision came at the request of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Administration officials maintain that Antifa encourages young Americans to engage in violence as a way to advance political goals. According to the president’s executive order, signed on September 22, Antifa represents “a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law.”

Critics from the political left have challenged the Trump administration’s characterization of Antifa and its perceived dangers. Antifa encompasses loosely affiliated groups with diverse ideologies and tactics, yet the label is often applied more broadly to those involved in left-wing political violence. Activists who identify with Antifa have employed such violence to exert political influence, including riots and property damage seen during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.