President Donald Trump made a bold and controversial statement Monday night, accusing Portland, Oregon, of committing an “insurrection” as his administration prepares to send military troops to the city. The deployment is part of an effort to tackle crime, which the president claims is spiraling out of control.
The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the president to send in the U.S. military or federalize National Guard units to suppress rebellion or insurrection when local authorities are unable or unwilling to maintain order. During his appearance on Newsmax, host Greg Kelly asked Trump if he planned to invoke the act in Portland.
“Is that a kind of way to get around all this opposition?” Kelly inquired. Trump responded, “Well, it is a way to get around it. If we don’t have to use it, I wouldn’t use it.” “If you take a look at what’s been going on in Portland, it’s been going on for a long time. That’s insurrection. I mean, that’s pure insurrection,” he declared.
The president then escalated his rhetoric, describing the situation in Portland as a siege of violent protesters. Trump went on to call the city a “living hell” and falsely claimed it was “burning down,” a statement that was widely disputed. Portland, long a focal point for protests, has seen demonstrations, some of which have involved clashes between protesters and police, but it has not been reduced to the chaotic picture Trump painted.
Portland’s local officials have responded to Trump’s accusations, with Mayor Keith Wilson issuing a statement in defense of the city’s law enforcement. “We are proud that Portland police have successfully protected freedom of expression while addressing occasional violence and property destruction that takes place during protests at the ICE facility in Portland,” Wilson said in a news release.
Wilson continued, “We anticipate that the site, and the half-block surrounding it, will continue to be a focus of protests. Portland will continue to rise to the moment as a proud sanctuary city, taking legal action to stand up for our community and our rights.”
Oregon’s Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, also voiced strong opposition to Trump’s potential actions. “Although some threats from the Trump administration may be new or surprising, this one is not: we’ve been preparing to respond since Trump returned to office,” Rayfield said. “We’re actively preparing for various scenarios, in coordination with key partners in Oregon, and our multistate AG coalition.”
Trump’s rhetoric drew parallels to accusations made against him for inciting an insurrection during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Despite the serious allegations, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team ultimately decided against charging Trump under federal insurrection laws.