Oregon Mayors Denounce Militarization

More than a dozen Oregon mayors joined Mayor Keith Wilson for an extraordinary press conference today to urge President Donald Trump to reverse his order to deploy troops to Portland.

One after another, the mayors, many of them veterans, stepped up to the podium to denounce the federal order as unnecessary, unwelcome, and unconstitutional.

Earlier in the day, many of the mayors released a joint statement opposing the use of military force to patrol the streets without the consent of local elected representatives. They represent 18 cities, including many suburbs of Portland as well as Bend in Central Oregon.

On Sept. 27, Trump vowed to send troops to Portland to handle "domestic terrorists" in a post on social media. The next day, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth federalized 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to be deployed in Oregon under the command of the Department of War, overriding objections from Gov. Tina Kotek and Mayor Wilson.

The mayors hammered home four central themes:

• Portland is peaceful and federal troops are unnecessary.
• Sending armed forces into our cities against the wishes of local leaders erodes trust and weakens democracy.
• The presence of armed troops will inflame tensions in Portland, not ease them.
• The Oregon National Guard are our friends, neighbors, and family members. Deploying them to Portland under these conditions dishonors their call to service.

The statements from the mayors echoed the objections of other local leaders who have called on President Trump to countermand his order, including U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Portland City Councilors and Multnomah County Commissioners.

"The number of troops we want is zero," said Wilson. "The Oregon National Guard are our friends and neighbors. They are here when wildfires rage, or floods destroy, or overseas conflicts require their protection. That's their job, not this. When these volunteers answered the call to service, they made a solemn promise to their communities and nation that the federal administration is now dishonoring. The justification for their presence in our cities is either a misunderstanding, or a lie. I hope it is only a misunderstanding we can soon resolve."

Wilson thanked the mayors for their support. "I am deeply grateful to join my fellow mayors today, and humbled by their commitment to finding common purpose in these uncertain times. By joining together, we can accomplish far more, and protect our community far better, than we ever could alone."

Selected statements from the mayors

Lacey Beaty, Mayor of Beaverton and U.S. Army veteran:

"We stand here together to tell the President he is listening to the wrong people. He cannot catch footage from half a decade ago and believe this is the Portland we are standing in today. As a U.S. Army veteran who has served in combat, I know what a war zone looks like - and I can assure you, Portland is not one... Listen to the truth from a combat veteran - one who knows how our military should be deployed. There is no lawful cause for deploying the military here in Portland."

Beach Pace, Mayor of Hillsboro, U.S. Army veteran and graduate of West Point:

"I'm here to stand in solidarity with Portland."

Frank Bubenik, Mayor of Tualatin, U.S. Army veteran:

"There is no need for federal intervention in our region. The Portland Metro area is safe, thriving, and fully capable of governing itself. We are not in crisis. We are not under siege. Federal militarization doesn't enhance safety in peaceful areas-it creates problems where none existed. It inflames tensions, undermines local authority, and threatens the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens to assemble, speak freely, and express their views."

Malynda Wenzl, Mayor of Forest Grove:

"We reject the unprecedented militarization or law and immigration enforcement. This is not who we are or what our community needs."

Michael Milch, Mayor of Gladstone:

"There's a fundamental danger of turning an army inwards towards its own citizens. The greater Portland area that we serve is a welcoming place of opportunity, hope, and understanding-a community that cares about one another and that will stand by one another even in the most trying times. We want everyone in our communities, no matter their immigration status, to be treated with the dignity, humanity, and respect that they deserve."

Kaarin Knudson, Mayor of Eugene:

"Oregonians do not want or need federal troops deployed in our cities-in Portland, or anywhere else. There is no emergency, no insurrection, and no disaster taking place in Portland. In Eugene and in cities across Oregon, we remain committed to serving our communities, upholding the Constitution and defending our laws, and we will stick together." (Mayor Knudson was not able to sign the letter.)

Joe Buck, Mayor of Lake Oswego, U.S. Coast Guard veteran:

"The strength of our communities lies in resilient neighbors looking out for one another. The Federal Government may command troops, but the Portland region stands united to command its own destiny bound by justice, freedom and the law... Being used as props to feign safety is not safe for anyone."

Lisa Batey, Mayor of Milwaukie:

"In the same way that our communities stand together today, we work together every day to address the needs of our unsheltered population and to forge a safer community for people of color, immigrants and other marginalized groups. Sending military personnel to the Portland area will make us all feel less safe and will harm our economy just as the tariffs and other federal actions weaken the economy nationally. There is absolutely no legitimate purpose to sending in federal forces."

Rory Bialostosky, Mayor of West Linn:

"Portland is the life blood of our collective region. Portland has turned the corner. The last thing Portland needs right now are federal troops on the ground to create possibility of confrontation."

Shawn O'Neil, Mayor of Wilsonville:

"Real public safety requires state and local leadership, trust, and a firm commitment to upholding constitutional rights. Federal militarization erodes those principles and endangers all of us, most especially historically marginalized communities. We must reject any slide into authoritarianism, whether it comes from the left or the right."

Jairo Rios-Campos, Mayor of Wood Village:

"I stand firmly with my fellow Mayors and residents, rejecting the militarization of immigration enforcement, which threatens the safety, trust, and dignity of our community."

Tim Rosener, Mayor of Sherwood, U.S. Air Force veteran:

"Our city is not a war zone. Yes, we have protests. But they are overwhelmingly peaceful. They reflect the democratic values this nation was built on... We do not need federal troops patrolling our streets."