Legal and Political Context - The President's attempt to deploy the National Guard to Portland was challenged in court, with a judge initially blocking the deployment, stating the determination was "simply untethered to the facts" [1][2] - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an administrative stay, allowing the President to federalize Oregon's National Guard but barring deployment to Portland [3] - Concerns were raised about the dangerous precedent of deploying National Guard troops from different states against another state's will [9][10] Portland Situation and Response - Portland faces real challenges including crime, drug use, commercial vacancies, and homelessness [6] - The characterization of Portland as a "war ravaged city" or full of "insurrectionists" is considered absurd [7] - Oregon is experiencing a 51% reduction in violent crime since the beginning of the year [10] - The emphasis from city leaders is to avoid escalating the situation and not fall into a "trap" of violence [16] Broader Implications and Concerns - The President is accused of attacking an independent judiciary and the free press, using fear to intimidate people [18][19] - There are concerns about normalizing the use of the United States military on the streets, which is considered un-American [20][22] - The President's actions are seen as attacks on the pillars of democracy, requiring a firm stance against unconstitutional actions [20][21][22]
Oregon AG: ‘It’s a very dangerous time here in America’
MSNBC·2025-10-12 18:19