Washington — US President Donald Trump has suffered a significant legal defeat after a federal judge ruled that his order to send National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, to quell domestic protests was illegally issued. The decision marks a major blow to the Trump administration’s policing strategy.
US District Judge Karin J. Immergut delivered the ruling on Friday, stating that the Trump administration had no legal basis to use military forces to suppress civilian demonstrations within the country.
Key Findings of the Ruling:
- The court explicitly stated that there was no “insurrection” or any severe situation in Portland that would justify setting aside federal law to allow the use of military force.
- According to the Judge, while there were minor skirmishes during the protests, they were not of a sufficient level to warrant the military intervention.
- The ruling further noted that the violence in Portland was limited, disorganized, and temporary, and that the situation was already under control when Trump issued the deployment order for the National Guard.
This decision is considered a major setback for President Trump, who had intended to use the same military strategy in other Democrat-led cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
The White House, responding through spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, stated that President Trump acted correctly within his authority to protect federal officers and expressed hope that the decision would be overturned in a higher court.
Conversely, the Oregon Attorney General’s office welcomed the ruling as a victory for civil liberties, asserting that the Trump administration had attempted to justify unnecessary military intervention by portraying peaceful protests as “violence.”
Legal analysts predict that this high-stakes case is now likely to head to the Supreme Court, as the Trump administration has indicated its intent to appeal the federal judge’s ruling.
