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One day after President Donald Trump announced on social media Saturday morning that he had authorized deploying federal troops to Portland, one of his assistants texted Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Sunday to explain the president’s reasoning.
The Oregonian/OregonLive received the text exchange via a public records request.
“Governor: The ICE facility in Portland was attacked again last night,” wrote Natalie Harp, Trump’s assistant, quoting a message from the president. “In fact, it, and other Federal Buildings, are being attacked on a nightly basis. We can’t have this. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
According to a text thread released by the governor’s office Monday, Kotek responded to Harp with a curt 15-word message: “Received. I know he has a busy schedule today. Will try calling him later. Thanks.”
In recent days, Oregon officials have scrambled to respond to Trump’s authorization of federal troops, from marching in peaceful protests to filing a motion to block the deployment of 200 state National Guard troops to a federal immigration building in Portland.
The secretary of defense federalized Oregon National Guard troops Sunday, and they are slated to be deployed to Oregon’s largest city as early as Thursday, based on the guard’s four-day mobilization timeline, Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Lawyers for the state of Oregon and the city of Portland have challenged the deployment in court, and it could be put on hold by a federal judge.
On Sunday, Kotek sent a sharp response to the president in a follow up text to Harp.
“I just received your notice to mobilize the Oregon National guard outside of my control,” Kotek wrote. “I believe this is unlawful and unwarranted. You broke your promise to speak with me before taking further action against Portland. I will be in touch later.”
The president, via Harp, shot back.
“I notified you to get things in order, and you didn’t,” Harp wrote to Kotek, quoting Trump. “They attacked our ICE Patriots last night, and at other times. If you get your State in order, we don’t come in, but everyone knows that Portland has been an unmitigated disaster for years. I won’t let that happen in America!”
The day prior, on Saturday, Kotek spoke with Trump on the phone for about seven minutes. During that call, Kotek said this weekend, she attempted to correct Trump’s perception that Portland is “war ravaged,” telling him local and state leaders “can manage our own local public safety needs” without federal troops.
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