Fact Check: Oregon Officials and Residents Refute Trump's "War-Ravaged" Portland Claims

US President Donald Trump has ordered Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon, claiming the city is "war-ravaged." However, Oregon officials and local residents have strongly refuted this characterization, providing evidence showing Portland as a peaceful, functioning city.

On Saturday, Trump announced his directive to send federal troops to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Portland, which he claimed were under attack by "Antifa and other domestic terrorists." Trump authorized the use of "full force, if necessary," citing a request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

In his Truth Social post on September 27, 2025, Trump stated he was directing Secretary Hegseth to "provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged" areas in Portland, sparking immediate pushback from state and local officials.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek directly contradicted the President's assessment on social platform X: "In my conversations directly with President Trump and Secretary Noem, I have been abundantly clear that Portland and the State of Oregon believe in the rule of law and can manage our own local public safety needs. There is no insurrection. There is no threat to national security."

Senator Ron Wyden shared recent footage from outside the ICE facility that Trump claimed was "under siege," revealing a calm scene. Wyden's message to Trump was blunt: "we don't need you here. Stay the hell out of our city."

Portland's official city page countered Trump's claims with images of everyday life, showing "people visiting Saturday Market, feeding geese, sipping espresso, biking, playing in the park, and going to food carts."

Congresswoman Maxine Dexter responded to the situation by saying, "Authoritarians rely on fear to divide us. Portland will not give them that. We won't be intimidated. We have prepared for this moment since Trump took office & we will meet it with every tool available: litigation, legislation & peaceful public pressure."

Portland residents and visitors have taken to social media to share images of the city's actual conditions. One user wrote, "Since Portland's been popping up in the news, here's a reminder of what Portland is actually like," alongside peaceful urban scenes.

Another social media user who had recently visited Portland noted, "I was in Portland last weekend. It is 'ravaged' by expensive craft beers, but definitely not ravaged by war. People get together to watch birds fly into a chimney. The city is so peaceful that the dogs don't even chase the birds."

One Portland visitor shared, "Live look from 'war torn' Portland outside the ICE facility. What a joke... Portland is fine, my daughter and I just spent several days walking the streets there. It was beautiful, safe and calm."

As of Saturday, details about troop deployment to Portland remained unclear, with The Oregonian reporting that no official request had been made to the Oregon National Guard.