During call with President Trump, Oregon governor said Portland did not request, does not need federal troops
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During call with President Trump, Oregon governor said Portland did not request, does not need federal troops
Trump did not specify a time for when troops would arrive, if they do. Portland police chief said he’s not aware of any federal troops currently in Portland. Kotek: Trump’s view of Portland is based on “information that is not accurate today” Kotek said she’s coordinating with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield to see if a response is needed for the federal government and is prepared to respond if they need to.”Portland is doing just fine,” Kotek says, adding that while there are challenges in Portland, they do not differ from the rest of the U.S., i.e. cost of living, education, affordable housing and jobs. “I need those kinds of things … not having military troops from our federal government in our state,” she says. “The number of necessary troops is zero,” says Portland Mayor Keith Wilson. “Violence and damage and violence will get us nowhere and not be tolerated,” he adds. “Let’s keep talking,” says President Donald Trump.
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PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek told reporters Saturday afternoon that she awoke Saturday morning to President Donald’s Trump’s announcement on social media that he will send “all necessary Troops” into Portland in order to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities from “domestic terrorists.”
Shortly after seeing Trump’s post, Kotek said she called both Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Trump. The former call lasted about 10 minutes, and an hour later, Kotek called Trump, repeating her message that Oregon did not need or request federal troops.
Kotek said other than Trump’s social media post, the state did not receive any heads-up.
During that conversation, Kotek said she was attempting to understand Trump’s rationale, saying his view of Portland was based on “information that is not accurate today,” and though the city does have protests, they have remained peaceful, not like the ones in 2020. Trump also claimed that there were elements of “insurrection,” which Kotek said she denied.
She gave little details of Trump’s response, besides one line from the president: “Let’s keep talking.”
Trump also did not give any details or specify a time when troops would arrive, if they do. The situation, she added, has moved from Homeland Security to the Department of Defense.
The administration then sent invites for the authorization to send troops; Kotek said she’s coordinating with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield to see if a response is needed for the federal government and is prepared to respond if they need to. She said she’s not planning to utilize the Oregon National Guard.
Trump has thus far deployed troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. and will do so in Memphis.
Troops not yet in Portland
Kotek was one of multiple government, law enforcement and business officials from the state, county and city who gathered Saturday afternoon at Tom McCall Waterfront Park to repeat a unified message: Portland — and Oregon and other U.S. cities, for that matter — do not need or want federal law enforcement or troops, no matter what Trump says.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said he’s not aware of any specific federal troops in Portland at the moment. He reiterated that the agency does not and will not work with ICE and is “not engaged in immigration enforcement.”
Day also clarified the difference between federal law enforcement and military troops, saying the former — which includes security at federal buildings, ICE, Homeland Security and the FBI — has been in Portland for some time. But those are federal law enforcement officers, not federal military troops.
The clarification came in response to questions about comments made by Portland Mayor Keith Wilson at a Friday press conference to address an apparent surge of federal law enforcement in the city. Wilson said city officials were aware of an influx of federal officers at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on the South Waterfront and made mention of armored vehicles.
‘Portland is doing just fine’
Leaders at Saturday’s press conference included Kotek; Wilson; Day; Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici; Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson; and Vanessa Sturgeon, the president of TMT Development, who represented the Portland Metro Chamber, Downtown Portland Clean and Safe, and other Oregon businesses.
Almost all officials noted it all was quiet in Portland and that Portland is not the same city it was in 2020, with the city having since then reformed its public safety, community and economy.
“Portland is doing just fine,” Kotek said, adding that while there are challenges in Portland, they do not differ from the rest of the U.S., i.e. cost of living, education, affordable housing and jobs. “I need help with those kinds of things … not having military troops from the federal government in our state.”
Kotek said Trump’s “misuse of power” will escalate “what is under control,” interferes with local law enforcement and is expensive for taxpayers, again urging for people to raise their voices peacefully, but property damage and violence “will get us nowhere and not be tolerated.”
Wilson added, “The number of necessary troops is zero,” saying that the administration should instead send engineers, teachers or outreach workers to Portland.
Wilson said that he would sign a joint statement with a dozen regional mayors on Monday regarding the standards of federal law enforcement; said statement will be modeled after Chicago Mayor’s Brandon Johnson’s executive order.