The “War-Ravaged” Portland Only Exists in Trump’s Head

Bonnie Berg holds a sign in protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on September 27, 2025 in Portland, Oregon.Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Stringer / Getty

First it was Los Angeles. Then, Washington, DC. Then, Memphis^[2]. Now, Portland, Oregon, is in President Donald Trump’s sights—just the latest Democratic city facing increased militarization.

Last week, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social^[3] he was authorizing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth “to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland” from what he called a “siege” by “Antifa.” At the center of this claim is Portland’s ICE facility, where protesters have been gathering across summer.

I recently visited the ICE facility with my camera and spoke with people there and across Portland—and the reality of what is happening on the streets is very different than what the administration wishes to portray.

“What you hear is music and you see bubbles,” Oregon state representative Willy Chotzen told me at demonstration featuring Governor Tina Kotek. “This is the true Portland and this is the Portland that shows up for each other.”

While there has been some damage to facilities and clashes between agents and demonstrators^[4], it’s been largely peaceful. Video shows protesters gather to dance to the “Cha Cha Slide” and show up dressed in silly costumes—a familiar Portland scene. Even the local city police have stated in court^[5] that they see the feds “instigating” and causing a “ruckus.”

While the White House and its allies framed weeks-long demonstrations outside the Portland ICE facility as “violent riots,” and authorizing “full force if necessary,” Oregon and the City of Portland jointly sued the administration^[6], arguing president cannot federalize Oregon’s Guard to protect federal property without meeting the narrow conditions—such as rebellion or foreign invasion.

“This is an illegal escalation of force against the city of Portland,” Portland city councilmember Mitch Green told me. “This is an attempt to normalize the rising fascism that’s going on.”