October 6, 2025

Hold on tight! The Trump administration is stirring up a political storm by sending roughly 200 California National Guard troops from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. This bold move announced by the Pentagon comes even as Oregon and California fought back in court, trying to block these troops from being deployed. Why the fuss? On Saturday, a federal judge put a temporary stop to Trump’s plan to send 200 Oregon National Guard members into Portland, saying there wasn’t enough proof that protests in the city justified such a move. Despite this, the Pentagon declared the troops will "support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property." What kind of duties? Think guarding federal buildings and backing up federal agents who are trying to hold the line amid ongoing protests. California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t take this lightly. He announced he’ll drag the Trump administration to court, blasting the deployment as "a breathtaking abuse of the law and power." Newsom said about 300 troops would be sent to Portland, with 200 on the move already. A spokesperson for the governor’s office confirmed this number, clarifying the troops’ swift deployment. The drama doesn’t end there! On Sunday, California joined forces with Oregon in a federal lawsuit to stop the troop deployment. Oregon fought hard, claiming Trump was inflating protest threats just to justify grabbing control over state National Guard units. They argued this move breaks federal laws and violates the state’s right to manage its own police. At a press meet at the White House, Trump fired back, painting Portland as a city in chaos, saying, "You have agitators, insurrectionists." But the judge, Karin Immergut, appointed by Trump himself, wasn’t convinced. She warned that letting the president send troops anywhere anytime would "risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power," which could harm the nation’s balance. Trump did not hold back his frustration, saying he didn’t know which judge made that decision and claiming that person should be "ashamed of himself," mistakenly calling Judge Immergut a man. The Trump team quickly appealed the decision, citing a Supreme Court ruling from 200 years ago that says Congress gave the president the power to call up National Guard troops. Meanwhile, it’s not just Portland feeling the heat. Late Saturday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also revealed that Trump plans to send 300 National Guard troops to Chicago against his wishes. The battle over troops on U.S. streets is heating up, and the drama is far from over!

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Tags: National guard, Trump, Portland, California, Oregon, Federal troops,