President Donald Trump has issued a directive for military forces to employ ‘full force’ against demonstrators in a different American city. The move, justified as targeting “domestic terrorists,” is intended to address protests concerning the conduct and sometimes aggressive methods of immigration officials in Portland, Oregon.
Using his Truth Social platform to make the announcement, Trump emphasized the necessity of safeguarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, which he claimed were under siege by attacks from Antifa and other domestic terrorists. The term “Antifa” typically refers to anti-fascists but has been manipulated by the Trump administration to portray it as a formal organization with members and leaders.
Trump has taken steps to classify Antifa as a ‘domestic terror’ group, sparking concerns that he might use this classification to suppress any dissent against him and his policies through forceful means. No immediate response was provided by the White House regarding specifics of Trump’s proclamation, such as the deployment schedule or the involvement of military units.
Previously, Trump had threatened to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago, a threat that was not carried out. An upcoming deployment in Memphis, Tennessee, is projected to consist of approximately 150 troops, significantly fewer than those deployed to Washington, D.C., during Trump’s crackdown or to Los Angeles in response to immigration-related protests.
Requests for information from Pentagon officials remained unanswered at the time. Following the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, Trump has intensified efforts to combat what he deems the “radical left,” holding them responsible for the nation’s political violence issues. He had deployed the National Guard and active-duty Marines in Los Angeles and as part of his law enforcement initiatives in the nation’s capital.
The ICE facility in Portland has been a frequent target of demonstrations, leading to occasional violent confrontations. Some federal agents sustained injuries, and several protesters faced assault charges. When protesters set up a guillotine earlier in the month, the Department of Homeland Security denounced it as “unhinged behavior.”
During comments in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump hinted at an impending operation. He stated, “We’re going to get out there and we’re going to do a pretty big number on those people in Portland,” referring to them as “professional agitators and anarchists.”
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