Following claims that federal officers in military uniforms are roaming the streets of Portland, arresting protesters without due process, leading House Democrats criticized the Trump administration for harming the reputation of the military.
“Not only do their action undermine civil rights and sow fear and discord across the country, but in this case, they sully the reputation of members of our Armed Forces who were not involved,” read a joint statement Monday by Democratic Reps. Adam Smith of Washington, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, and Jerry Nadler of New York.
The chairs of the House Armed Services Committee, House Homeland Security Committee, and House Judiciary Committee, respectively, criticized the Trump administration for using “violent tactics against protesters” throughout the weekend in Oregon and for harming the public reputation of the armed services.
“We find it particularly troubling that in Portland, many of these federal officers have apparently been patrolling the streets in unmarked vehicles and arresting protesters off the street,” read the statement.
The statement said the federal agents appeared to be wearing military uniforms.
“Was it the intent of the Trump Administration to make it seem as though the U.S. military is being deployed to control a U.S. city? Are they completely ignorant about the optics of the situation?” the statement posed.
The Pentagon told the Washington Examiner that neither active-duty military nor the National Guard are supporting law enforcement in the city.
“No Active Duty troops have been sent to Portland,” a Pentagon spokesperson said via email.
Likewise, Maj. Rob Perino, spokesman for the National Guard Bureau, said: “Oregon National Guard has not been activated to support law enforcement in Portland.”
The agents were later identified as members of the Department of Homeland Security.
By the afternoon, President Trump confirmed that he would send additional law enforcement to Portland, but the “troops” would not be members of the military.
“Well, it depends on what your definition of ‘troops’ is. I mean, we’re sending law enforcement. Portland was totally out of control,” Trump told a reporter at the White House Monday.
“The liberal Democrats running the place had no idea what they were doing. They were ripping down — for 51 days, ripping down that city, destroying the city, looting it. The level of corruption and what was going on there is incredible. And then the governor comes out: ‘We don’t need any help,’” the president added.
Over the weekend, a viral video showed Navy veteran and Portland-native Christopher David beaten and pepper-sprayed by camouflaged agents in riot gear.
The Democratic members of Congress criticized the Trump administration for encroaching on protesters’ First Amendment rights and said that like Lafayette Park near the White House, which was cleared of peaceful protesters following the death of George Floyd, the president was continuing to “weaponize federal law enforcement.”
“We need to continue to find ways to rein in the Trump Administration’s growing militarization and misuse of federal law enforcement against the American people,” the statement closed.
