Trump orders troops to city of Portland

Military supports mass crackdown

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President Donald Trump on Saturday authorised the deployment of troops in the northwestern US city of Portland, extending his contentious domestic use of the military to support amass immigration crackdown.

A deployment in Portland — Oregon’s largest city — would follow similar moves by the Republican president to mobilise troops against the wishes of local Democratic leadership in Los Angeles and Washington DC.

It also comes as Mr Trump launches an assault against left-wing activists in the wake of several deadly attacks, which the president and his allies claim are evidence of a “domestic terrorist” network.

“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is the main agency carrying out Mr Trump's contentious mass deportation drive.

Tt was not clear if Mr Trump was authorising the use of troops at ICE facilities nationwide or just in Portland, where protests have been ongoing for months.