Trump claims Portland has "paid terrorists" with zero evidence

On Sept. 5, 2025, President Trump said "paid terrorists" and "paid agitators" were in Portland during Oval Office remarks. He suggested federal intervention might be necessary to protect ICE facilities. News outlets including CNN, OPB, NPR, and The Guardian reported the statement. Sources: CNN, OPB, NPR, The Guardian.

Independent reporting found no publicly available evidence to support Trump's "paid terrorists" claim. No federal agency designated Portland protest groups as terrorist organizations. Federal Judge Karin Immergut ruled Trump's narrative was "untethered to facts." Court records showed no evidence of paid coordination. Sources: CNN, Portland federal court records, Wikipedia.

Federal authorities arrested 128 people by Oct. 2, 2025 in connection with ICE protests. Nine people faced felony charges for assaulting federal officers and damaging federal property. Charges included criminal mischief, assault, and arson—not terrorism. The FBI reported 129 federal arrests during this period. Sources: KATU timeline, KGW, OPB.

"Portland’s mayor publicly rejected federal military intervention and said the city could handle unrest. The 🌲Oregon governor and state legal officials warned they would challenge federal overreach in court. The Justice Department had not announced new terrorism designations related to the protests. Sources: mayoral statements, state legal filings, The 🌲Washington Post, and Reuters."