Military

Steven Greenhut | 10.10.2025 7:30 AM

Every American who is concerned about the state of our liberties ought to find harrowing President Donald Trump's recent declaration that the National Guard is now in place in Portland, Oregon. As he wrote on social media, the goal is to restore law and order as "conditions continue to deteriorate into lawless mayhem."

There are some protests against ICE's increasingly abusive raids and detentions, but this is nothing more than a pretext to exert federal control over cities. I'm in Portland regularly, and it's one of the nation's most placid and safest big cities. Protests have at times been unruly over the years, but are well within the ability of local police to control.

This is problematic. For starters, the president is vastly exaggerating the nature of the protests. "While Democrat politicians deny reality, it's obvious what's happening in Portland isn't protest; it's premeditated anarchy that has scarred the city for years – leaving officers battered, citizens terrorized, and property defaced," he posted. People living there have no idea what he's talking about, given that, as usual, his claims are far afield from reality.

We should all be fearful when politicians exaggerate problems to grab more power. And it's not just Portland. Trump previously deployed National Guard and Marines to........

© Reason.com