US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorising Full Force, if necessary” to handle “domestic terrorists” as he expanded his controversial deployments to more American cities.
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He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defence to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland”.
Trump said the decision was necessary to protect US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he described as “under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists”.
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Widespread anti-immigrant operations spark fear in Asian communities across the US
Widespread anti-immigrant operations spark fear in Asian communities across the US
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for details on Trump’s announcement, such as a timeline for the deployment or what troops would be involved. He previously threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago without following through.
A deployment in Memphis, Tennessee, is expected to include only about 150 troops, far fewer than were sent to the District of Columbia for Trump’s crackdown or in Los Angeles in response to immigration protests.
Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for information.
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Since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Republican president has escalated his efforts to confront what he calls the “radical left”, which he blames for the country’s problems with political violence.