Trump calls Portland 'hell,' threatens city with troops — all over a misleading TV report

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 5) suggested he might deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon—a move apparently triggered by a misleading television report that showed video from the city's 2020 protests as if it were filmed this summer. "I will say this, I watched today, I didn't know that was continuing to go on, but Portland is unbelievable, what's going on," Trump told reporters. "We'll be able to stop that very easily," he asserted.

Portland: 'Like living in hell'?

Contrary to Trump's claim, Portland, as per The Guardian, has only seen small protests this year, mostly outside a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. These gatherings have drawn dozens at most — a far cry from the 2020 demonstrations following George Floyd’s killing that brought tens of thousands into the streets for months.

What triggered Trump?

Fox News on Thursday (Sep 4) aired a segment that mixed recent protest footage with a viral 2020 clip of a demonstrator being pepper-sprayed, wrongly describing it as June 2025. Trump cited no source, but repeated false claims that Portland is in chaos. He called demonstrators "paid agitators" backed by "radical left groups."

"These are paid agitators and they’re very dangerous for our country and when we go there, if we go to Portland, we’re going to wipe ’em out. They’re going to be gone. They won’t even stand to fight. They will not stay there. They’ve ruined that city," he claimed. Trump added that "It’s like living in hell," as he described an "imaginary version of Portland that bears no resemblance to the actual city," reports the Guardian.

We 'have not asked for or need' Trump's federal protection: Mayor

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson pushed back, saying the city does not need federal intervention. "Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for – and do not need – federal intervention," he said in a statement.

"We are proud that Portland police have successfully protected freedom of expression while addressing occasional violence and property destruction that takes place during protests at the ICE facility in Portland. We anticipate that the site and the half-block surrounding it, will continue to be a focus of protests. Portland will continue to rise to the moment as a proud sanctuary city, taking legal action to stand up for our community and our rights," he added.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield also warned of legal action if Trump sends troops. "Although some threats from the Trump administration may be new or surprising, this one is not: we’ve been preparing to respond since Trump returned to office," he said. "Oregon is a safe place, and we intend to keep it that way. The president may have a lot of power, but he has to stay in his lane – and if he doesn’t, we’ll hold him accountable."