Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Sending Troops to Portland as Protests Erupt in Chicago

Overnight, a federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to send National Guard troops to Portland, where demonstrations have flared for days.

The ruling, issued by a Trump-appointed judge, expands a previous order that prevented the administration from deploying Oregon’s own National Guard troops. It now blocks federalized Guard troops from anywhere in the country from being sent to Portland.

State leaders in Oregon and California had objected in court after President Trump reassigned federalized troops from Los Angeles to Portland.

“There’s no need for military intervention in Oregon,” one official said. “There’s no insurrection in Portland. Oregon is our home — not a military target.”

Meanwhile, in Chicago, protests erupted after the White House announced that 300 members of the Illinois National Guard would be deployed to “protect federal officers and assets.”

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker condemned the decision, saying federal troops should “get the heck out” if they aren’t targeting “the worst of the worst.”

President Trump defended his actions, arguing that cities like Portland and Chicago are unsafe. “All you have to do is look at the television,” he said. “It’s burning to the ground.”

The Trump administration says it plans to appeal the Oregon ruling as tensions continue to rise in both cities.