Today's News: Trump Administration Deploys California National Guard Troops to Portland
After a federal judge blocked the use of Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, the administration circumvented the ruling by deploying federalized California National Guard troops instead.
Photo: Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times
Overview
Date: October 5, 2025
Summary: The Trump administration is facing widespread legal and political challenges over its deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois. After a federal judge temporarily blocked the use of Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, the administration circumvented the ruling by deploying federalized California National Guard troops instead, prompting new legal threats from both states. Simultaneously, federal immigration enforcement actions in Chicago, including a controversial shooting incident, have led Illinois’ governor to accuse federal agents of escalating tensions and creating a “war zone.”
Sources
Key Points
The Trump administration is deploying National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities, specifically Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois.
These deployments are met with strong opposition and legal challenges from the respective state governors (Oregon’s Tina Kotek, California’s Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ JB Pritzker), who accuse the president of abusing power and violating state sovereignty.
A federal judge in Oregon, Karin Immergut, issued a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, ruling that the president exceeded his constitutional authority and that the protests did not warrant military intervention.
The Trump administration is attempting to circumvent this ruling by deploying federalized California National Guard troops to Portland, a move also being challenged legally by both Oregon and California.
Federal officials justify the deployments as necessary to protect federal assets and personnel from “violent riots” and “domestic terrorists,” while state officials argue the protests are largely peaceful and federal actions are escalating tensions.
The legal basis for challenges includes violations of the 10th Amendment and questions about the conditions required for federalizing National Guard troops (e.g., invasion, rebellion).
The ongoing government shutdown is noted as a broader context, impacting federal services and potentially leading to layoffs.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times offers a unique, detailed account of the Chicago shooting incident, contrasting the criminal complaint’s lack of mention of a firearm with the Department of Homeland Security’s earlier statement, and includes testimony from one of the motorist’s mothers.
CNN highlights Judge Immergut’s specific warning that the Trump administration’s arguments “risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power – to the detriment of this nation.”
NBC News includes a statement from Portland Police Chief Bob Day, who, in an op-ed, suggests that “national portrayals” of Portland overstate the problem and that police tactics involving tactical gear often “escalate crowd behavior.”
The Washington Post directly quotes Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claiming on “Fox & Friends” that federal intelligence indicates protesters are “organized” and “making plans to ambush them and to kill them,” without providing specifics.
The Wall Street Journal references a prior June decision from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concerning the Los Angeles deployments, which found judges should be “highly—if not completely—deferential” to the president’s factual determinations, a point Judge Immergut distinguished for the Portland situation.
Contrasting Details
Presence of a Firearm in Chicago Shooting: The New York Times states that the criminal complaint against the Chicago motorists makes “no mention of any firearm,” directly contradicting an earlier Department of Homeland Security statement that agents fired at a driver “armed with a semiautomatic weapon.” The Washington Post also reports the Department of Homeland Security’s claim of a semiautomatic weapon but notes the criminal charges do not include that claim.
Number of California National Guard Troops Deployed to Portland: The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal report that 101 or “about 200” California National Guard members have arrived or are being reassigned to Portland. Conversely, NBC News and The Washington Post state that 300 California National Guard troops are being deployed to Oregon.
Characterization of Portland Protests: President Trump and his administration (as reported across all sources) describe Portland as “war-ravaged,” experiencing “violent riots,” “insurrection,” and “organized terrorist attacks.” In contrast, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, and Judge Karin Immergut (reported in The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox News) consistently assert that the protests are “generally small,” “not significantly violent or disruptive,” “peaceful,” and that there is “no insurrection” or “threat to national security.”
Cause of Conflict in Chicago: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NBC News) blames federal agents for “making it a war zone” and intentionally heightening tensions to “create the war zone so they can send in even more troops.” This perspective contrasts with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s assertion (in The Washington Post) that protesters are “organized” and planning attacks on officers.
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