By Emel Akan
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Oct. 6 said he may consider invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, if necessary.
“So far, it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason,” he told reporters in the Oval Office on Oct. 6. “If I had to enact it, I‘d do that. If people were being killed, and courts were holding us up, or governors and mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that. I mean, I want to make sure that people aren’t killed. We have to make sure that our cities are safe.”
The Insurrection Act is one of the president’s broadest emergency powers, authorizing the deployment of military forces domestically to suppress rebellion or domestic violence.
On Oct. 5, a federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked Trump’s push to deploy troops to Portland.
Trump said on Oct. 6: “Portland’s been on fire for years.
“I really think that’s criminal insurrection.”
Trump also warned that those attacking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will face “very severe” consequences, adding that his administration will “find out” the groups targeting federal officers.
“We’re going to find out who’s going after our federal agents,” Trump said in response to a question from NTD, sister outlet of The Epoch Times.
Trump has authorized the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members to Chicago on Oct. 4 to address crime in the city. The decision came just hours after federal agents were surrounded and rammed by 10 vehicles near Broadview, where protests have continued for days.
“It’s like a war zone,” Trump said of Chicago. “It’s probably worse than almost any city in the world. You could go to Afghanistan, you can go to a lot of different places, and they probably marvel at how much crime we have.”
On Oct. 6, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accused the president of deciding “to declare war” on Chicago, describing the deployment of National Guard troops as “an unconstitutional invasion.”
Trump said in response: “Why is it that a governor wouldn’t accept free help?
“We have to save Chicago; it’s very important.”
On Sept. 15, Trump also signed an order to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to combat crime.
“These are unsafe places. We’re going to make them safe,” Trump said.
He also highlighted the progress made in the District of Columbia.
“We have a great safe capital again. And if you look at it, in six months from now, it’ll be the most beautiful anywhere in the world,” Trump said.
“It’s being cleaned. The graffiti are all gone now. The tents are all gone. We have a capital that you can be proud of, but it’ll only get better with time.”
