Ex-Republican National Committee spokesperson Tim Miller on Monday said President Donald Trump’s plan to send federal troops to Portland, Oregon, is “a little bit more ominous” than similar threats to other U.S. cities like New Orleans.
“I do wonder if they’re champing at the bit for a conflict here and maybe see Portland as an opportunity for that,” said Miller on a recent episode of the anti-Trump conservative site The Bulwark’s podcast.
Trump expanded his push to deploy federal troops to American cities over the weekend, announcing on his Truth Social platform that his administration would send “all necessary” troops to protect what he called “war ravaged” Portland and any U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities “under siege” from “domestic terrorists.”
The ICE facility in Portland has been at the center of protests against Trump’s immigration agenda.
Trump’s plan has since sparked a lawsuit from the city of Portland as well as the state of Oregon in an attempt to block the president from sending hundreds of National Guard troops to the city.
