Donald Trump has once again ignited a firestorm — this time by declaring Portland, Oregon “war-ravaged” and announcing a military deployment to the city, despite no evidence of a crisis that would warrant such a move.
On Saturday, the president triggered a wave of backlash from critics, journalists, and public figures after making the eyebrow-raising declaration, which many are calling not just false, but dangerously authoritarian.
“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary,” Trump wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
“Oh, okay, I get it now. YOU took a lot of Tylenol, didn’t you?” shot back X user “Nickie B,” in a viral post, sarcastically referencing Trump’s bizarre and widely debunked claim that Tylenol could be linked to autism. “Now I get why we should stay away from it. Thanks for your attention to this matter!”
But it’s not just internet snark lighting up over this. Trump’s remarks came on the heels of local tensions between Portland officials and federal immigration authorities, which had nothing to do with violence or public safety. Yet within days, the city saw a sudden surge of federal agents — and now, apparently, a military deployment.
This isn’t Trump’s first flirtation with domestic military action. He previously sent troops into Washington, D.C., and has repeatedly threatened cities like Chicago with similar force — in one case using an AI-generated image of U.S. troops invading the Illinois capital.
But now that he’s actually sending forces into Portland — and publicly calling the city “war-ravaged” — critics say he’s crossed a new line.
“Portland saw 17 homicides in the first half of 2025, a decline of 51%,” wrote Jay Bookman, journalist and author, calling out the glaring gap between Trump’s rhetoric and reality.
“Yet Trump and the ‘secretary of war’ are sending the U.S. military into the city, authorizing American troops to use ‘Full Force’ against American civilians. What are we doing here, people?”
The numbers are clear. Violent crime in Portland has been steadily falling. After a COVID-era spike in homicides, the city saw an 8% drop in killings between 2023 and 2024 — and that trend accelerated, with a 51% drop in the first half of 2025 alone.
Still, Trump’s “war” narrative appears to be setting the stage for more than just political theater. Some critics say it’s part of a larger pattern of authoritarianism — one that may warrant more than just fact-checking.
“If ever there was a time not to normalize Trump’s authoritarian fever dreams, this is it,” wrote Mehdi Hasan, journalist and former MSNBC host.
“This should be impeachable. ‘War ravaged’ Portland? He’s insane – and insanely power hungry. The script is set – call an imaginary group a terror group and then send in the troops.”
Whether the deployment actually happens, or if it’s another Trump bluff meant to rile up his base and his critics alike, remains to be seen. But the message behind the move is already loud and clear — and many are saying it echoes something far more dangerous than campaign bravado.
“War-ravaged” is a term usually reserved for bombed-out cities overseas, not a place where homicides are at their lowest in years. If Trump’s willing to use that language — and real troops — on American soil, what comes next?
Critics aren’t waiting to find out. The calls for impeachment are already coming in.
