WASHINGTON, Sept 29 — In a move that’s reigniting controversy over federal intervention in local governance, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered 200 Oregon National Guard troops to be deployed under federal authority. This comes just as the State of Oregon has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s decision to send troops into the Democratic-led city of Portland.
The deployment is meant to protect federal immigration facilities, according to Trump, who described Portland as being under attack by “domestic terrorists.” He further authorised troops to use “full force, if necessary.”
But the move has sparked widespread backlash, not only from Oregon’s top officials but also from within the Pentagon itself.
Oregon Pushes Back in Court
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit yesterday against President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The suit accuses the administration of overstepping constitutional boundaries and undermining the state’s sovereignty.
“Citing nothing more than baseless, wildly hyperbolic pretext — the President says Portland is a ‘War ravaged’ city ‘under siege’ from ‘domestic terrorists,’” the suit states. “Defendants have thus infringed on Oregon’s sovereign power to manage its own law enforcement activity and National Guard resources.”
Rayfield questioned the necessity of the deployment, especially in light of recent crime data showing a 51% drop in homicides in Portland in the first half of 2025, as reported by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
A Surprise Move That Shocked Even the Pentagon
Six US officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters, revealed that Trump’s order caught the Pentagon off guard. Many were unaware of the decision until the memo from Secretary Hegseth became public — as an attachment to Oregon’s lawsuit.
“It was a bolt from the blue,” one official said, noting that while contingency planning was underway for other cities, there was no expectation that Portland would be targeted so abruptly.
Even Portland Mayor Keith Wilson only learned of the deployment through social media, reflecting a wider concern about the administration’s lack of communication with local leadership.
Context and Historical Echoes
This isn’t the first time Portland has been in the spotlight. In 2020, the city saw months-long protests following the killing of George Floyd. Trump’s previous deployment of federal troops at the time was heavily criticised for escalating tensions rather than calming them.
Now, amid a fresh wave of immigration-related unrest — including a recent deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas — Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard has again raised questions about overreach, civil rights, and political optics.
