US President Donald Trump has sent troops from California to Oregon after a court denied his attempt to deploy the National Guard in Portland
The deployment circumvents a judge’s order blocking the deployment by instead using National Guard soldiers already serving in Los Angeles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom vowed to file a lawsuit over the move, which he called a breathtaking abuse of the law, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Trump was also redeploying the Texas National Guard.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement.
She attacked Newsom, saying he should stand on the side of law-abiding citizens instead of violent criminals destroying Portland and cities across the country.
Portland is the latest Democrat-led city targeted as part of the president’s attempt to address what he said is out-of-control crime, amid protests over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
The Pentagon confirmed 200 members of the California National Guard had been reassigned to Portland to support US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties
News edited by Favour Owonibi