The White House is spotlighting what it describes as years of unchecked Antifa violence in Portland, Oregon, hosting independent journalists who have documented the unrest as President Donald Trump mobilizes federal resources to address what officials call a “reign of terror” ignored by mainstream outlets.
The roundtable, announced Wednesday, highlighted repeated attacks on federal facilities and private businesses in Portland, where residents say local leaders have failed to restore public safety.
Since early June, Antifa militants have maintained a violent siege of the ICE field office in south Portland — breaching the facility with a stop sign, hurling explosives at officers, burning American flags, and even rolling out a guillotine, according to the White House.
“It’s like a war zone. There are times I’ve had to have a gas mask on inside my own home,” said a resident near the besieged ICE facility. “[Deploying the National Guard] is one thing I support, as far as Trump is concerned, because the city is failing us and I don’t want to feel like I’m collateral damage — and my rights matter, too.”
Business owners echoed the frustration. “Yesterday morning, I was broken into again for the tenth time,” said a downtown shop owner. “We need help here and something needs to be done, so if [the National Guard] is what we need to do to get our leaders paying attention, then I think it’s a good thing. We’ve been struggling for a long time — since 2020.”
Federal prosecutors have charged dozens with crimes including arson, assaulting federal officers, and resisting arrest during the ongoing ICE facility attacks. The White House cited years of similar incidents, including the 2020 riots that lasted more than 100 days, causing widespread property destruction and injuries to law enforcement.
“For those people who do not want federal troops in our streets, I would say start clamoring for your local government to protect our property, our businesses, and our lives,” said a Portland man representing retailers hit by crime.
Portland’s record of Antifa-linked violence includes multiple high-profile attacks dating back to 2016, from burning police vehicles to a 2020 shooting that left one man dead during a riot.
“Look at our streets — there’s homelessness, they’re full of garbage, businesses are leaving. We are not a thriving city. Our city is falling. It’s horrible,” said a Portland woman.