Leaked text messages have revealed a heated exchange between President Donald Trump and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek over his decision to send National Guard troops to Portland. The messages, obtained by KATU, show Trump texting in the same loud, dramatic way he posts on Truth Social.
“Governor: The ICE Facility in Portland was attacked again last night. In fact, it, and other Federal Buildings, are being attacked on a nightly basis. We can’t have this,” Trump wrote in one message on Sunday. “Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Kotek, a Democrat, pushed back, saying Trump had broken his earlier promise to talk to her before taking action. Trump quickly fired back.
“I notified you to get things in order, and you didn’t. 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,” he wrote. “I won’t let that happen in America! President DJT.”
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The texts were reportedly typed by White House aide Natalie Harp, a former One America News anchor who joined Trump’s team in 2022. Harp, 34, has been nicknamed “The Human Printer” because she often follows Trump around with a portable printer so he does not have to look at screens.
Trump has been angry at Portland for days, accusing protesters of being “domestic terrorists” and claiming the city is under attack. He sent 200 National Guard troops to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement buildings in the city and said they would use “Full Force, if necessary.”
But local police have said the protests outside the ICE buildings have mostly been peaceful and usually involve fewer than 30 people at a time. Governor Kotek and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield have now filed a lawsuit against the deployment, calling Trump’s description of Portland as “war ravaged” “pure fiction.”
This fight is part of a bigger push by Trump. He has already sent federal agents and military personnel to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago and says he plans to send more to Memphis. He insists that cities run by Democrats are facing a massive crime wave, but he has not provided real evidence.
Federal data tells another story. Violent crime has been going down nationwide since it spiked during the pandemic. And polls show that nearly 60% of voters oppose Trump’s move to send federal troops into U.S. cities.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
