A federal court has struck down former President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon — calling it an unlawful use of military force within U.S. borders.
In a sweeping 106-page decision, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut — herself appointed by Trump — concluded that the administration had “no lawful basis” to claim a rebellion or breakdown of federal law enforcement in Portland. The court said protests against immigration authorities in the city, while occasionally disruptive, never amounted to the kind of insurrection required to justify troop deployment.
“The interference with federal officers was minimal,” the judge wrote, adding that the demonstrations did not “significantly impede” immigration enforcement operations.
The ruling permanently blocks Trump from sending National Guard forces to Portland, replacing a temporary order issued last month. It marks the first definitive legal rejection of the former president’s broader effort to use federal troops in American cities — a tactic also proposed for Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
The White House defended Trump’s actions, saying he had acted within his constitutional authority to safeguard federal officers. “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to lawlessness,” said a spokesperson, expressing confidence that a higher court would reverse the decision.
The lawsuit, brought by the City of Portland and the Oregon Attorney General, accused the administration of inflating reports of unrest to justify military intervention under emergency powers reserved for true rebellions or invasions.
During the trial, federal lawyers described Portland as under siege — a “war zone,” echoing Trump’s own language — while state attorneys countered that violent incidents were rare, isolated, and handled by local police. Immergut sided with the latter, finding the government’s narrative exaggerated and unsupported by evidence.
Democratic leaders have warned that Trump’s reliance on military powers to police domestic dissent erodes long-standing norms designed to keep armed forces out of civilian affairs.
The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, potentially setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown over presidential limits on domestic military authority.
