President Trump is preparing to cut off funds to Portland, Oregon, after the city’s police arrested a conservative journalist for disorderly conduct near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
“I just spoke with the president about this, and he has directed his team here at the White House to begin reviewing aid that can potentially be cut in Portland,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday.
“We will not fund states that allow anarchy. There will also be an additional surge of federal resources to Portland immediately, including enhanced CBP and ICE resources,” she said.
Journalist Nick Sortor was seen on video being taken into custody Thursday during another night of violent protests outside the ICE facility.
The arrest came after the Portland police said it was “monitoring the protest during the evening and observed some protest participants engaging in fights.” Mr. Sortor was charged with disorderly conduct in the second degree.
“Instead of arresting these violent mob members night after night after night who are ravaging this community, the police arrested a journalist who was there trying to document the chaos, and everyone in this room should be extremely concerned about that,” Ms. Leavitt said during a press briefing.
The Justice Department spoke with Mr. Sortor on Friday morning, Ms. Leavitt said, and will be launching a full investigation into his arrest.
“This incident is part of a troubling trend in Portland, where left-wing mobs believe they get to decide who can visit and live in their city. It is not their city, it is the American people’s city, and President Trump is going to restore that,” she said.
Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and the Portland City Council are speaking out against federal law enforcement intervention in the city.
Democratic Portland City Council member Angelita Morillo advised demonstrators protesting against immigration officers and federal agents to use burner phones and encrypted messaging apps to avoid being tracked.
When asked if the White House was considering invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Ms. Leavitt said, “That’s not something I’ve heard that’s under consideration or discussion at this time.”
Ms. Kotek said there was no ” insurrection” threat in Portland.
“When the president and I spoke yesterday, I told him in very plain language there is no insurrection or threat to public safety that necessitates military intervention in Portland or any other city in our state,” Ms. Kotek told reporters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Ms. Leavitt said, will provide all necessary troops “to protect war-ravaged” Portland and any ICE facilities “under siege from attack by Antifa and other left-wing domestic terrorists.”
“This is not peaceful protesting. This is left-wing anarchy that has been destroying this great American city for years, leaving police officers battered, citizens terrorized, and business properties damaged,” she said. “Since early June alone, Antifa terrorists have laid siege to the ICE field office in South Portland…Officers berate their law-abiding neighbors, and have even rolled out a guillotine in front of the ICE facility.”
Mr. Trump on Wednesday said National Guard troops are now “in place” in Oregon to stop the “lawless mayhem” targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
“Our GREAT Federal Law Enforcement Officers have not been able to enforce the Laws in Oregon,” he wrote on social media. “ANTIFA and the Radical Left Anarchists have been viciously attacking our Federal Law Enforcement Officers, men and women who are simply doing their job, protecting Federal Property, and enforcing Federal Immigration Laws and the Rule of Law.”
“We will never allow MOBS to take over our streets, burn our Cities, or destroy America,” he said. “The National Guard is now in place, and has been dedicated to restoring LAW AND ORDER, and ending the Chaos, Death, and Destruction! We are a Nation of LAW, and we will PREVAIL.”
He criticized Ms. Kotek, saying she “must be living in a ‘Dream World.’”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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