Oregon Governor Tina Kotek took a stand against President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy troops to Portland during a phone conversation on Saturday.
Kotek emphasized that Portland is doing well and clearly communicated this to the President during their discussion.
“Portland is a far cry from the war-ravaged community that he has posted about on social media,” Kotek stated at a press conference on the city’s waterfront, supported by local leaders and business representatives.
Her remarks were part of a broader effort by Oregon officials to assure citizens not to engage with Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric.
The Governor’s statements raised questions about potential federal plans, though clarity remained elusive in the press conference.
In response to questions, Kotek noted that she received written communication from the U.S. Department of War regarding the deployment of National Guard troops, a letter she stated she would not be responding to.
Kotek remarked, “There is no mission for them right now,” indicating that any potential need for the National Guard would be more appropriately focused on addressing wildfires rather than civil unrest.
She confirmed that her office does not have any information regarding an increased federal troop presence in Oregon and reiterated her call to President Trump to keep federal troops out of the state.
Kotek is working closely with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield on potential legal measures should the President follow through with troop deployment.
Kotek critiqued Trump for misrepresenting the current condition of Portland.
Local and federal officials previously held a hurried press conference where they announced an increase in federal law enforcement officers in Oregon, a response to ongoing protests outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the city.
At the Friday briefing, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley urged onlookers not to take the bait from Trump’s comments, indicating a desire for calm amid escalating tensions.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day emphasized that the heightened law enforcement presence should not be confused with an influx of federal troops.
Kotek revealed that she first spoke with the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem before her call with President Trump.
She expressed discontent that the President appeared to be relying on outdated images and narratives of Portland from the tumultuous protests of 2020, which saw significant civil unrest following the death of George Floyd.
Kotek further clarified, “There are protests here, but it is not what we saw during the pandemic,” stressing the need for accuracy in Trump’s portrayal of the city.
During her call, Kotek and Trump expressed differing views on the state of affairs in Portland, leading the President to suggest, “Let’s keep talking.”
By Saturday evening, a small group of demonstrators gathered again outside the ICE building, activities that mirrored the regular protests that have characterized the past few months.
The evening’s demonstration felt routine, with protesters paying tribute via small memorials and flowers while others vocally opposed federal officers.
While some confrontations occurred, the atmosphere remained largely peaceful, with demonstrators displaying signs that read, “Portland will outlive him” and “I am not a terrorist.”
Amid these developments, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson asserted that there was no need for federal troops, declaring, “the number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city.”
He highlighted the historical memory of oppression in America, cautioning that the President would not encounter lawlessness unless he instigated it.
Wilson suggested that rather than sending military forces, the federal government could consider deploying engineers or outreach workers to assist Portland.
In response to Trump’s alarming characterization of Portland as “war-ravaged,” Wilson called the term vague and criticized the lack of clarity on what “full force” might entail.
He reflected on the potential dangers of such ambiguous threats, stating, “There are new risks today, risks that we do not yet fully understand.”
Reactions to Trump’s announcement varied among Oregon lawmakers.
U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici condemned the President’s actions as an abuse of power, arguing that he lacked the authority to send military forces into a city.
Echoing Bonamici’s sentiments, U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter described Trump’s announcement as a betrayal of American values.
She asserted, “Authoritarians rely on fear to divide us. Portland will not give them that. We will not be intimidated.”
However, President Trump’s supporters defended his decision.
Christine Drazan, the minority leader of the Oregon House, criticized Kotek and Wilson’s portrayal of the situation in the city, claiming their views were disconnected from reality.
Drazan expressed frustration with local leaders for allowing, as she described it, “violent mobs and domestic terrorists” to operate unchecked, advocating for order and safety measures.
In a social media post, former Oregon representative and current U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer echoed Trump’s depiction of Portland as a crime-ridden area, thanking the President for his proactive measures.
Earlier in October, Trump had compared living in Portland to “living in hell,” which remained consistent with his portrayal of potential unrest in cities like Chicago and Baltimore.
Despite these threats, such plans had yet to materialize in those locations as well.
image source from：opb
