Karoline Leavitt has come to defend Donald Trump‘s attempts at deploying the National Guard into Portland, Oregon. The POTUS insisted that this deployment would control the chaos and mayhem that had been taking place in the state. However, an Oregon judge has blocked his attempts to send in federalized National Guard troops.
Now, the White House Press Secretary got embroiled in a heated debate with a CNN reporter trying to justify the president’s attempts. CNN host Kaitlan Collins, who has previously also got on the bad side of Leavitt, asked her, “Which local officials in Portland have said that the National Guard is needed there, if any?”
My full exchange with Karoline Leavitt on what officials in Portland, including the police chief, are saying about whether the National Guard is needed versus what President Trump is claiming. pic.twitter.com/i4C3iSkkil
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 6, 2025
In response, Karoline Leavitt lashed out at her. She refrained from directly answering it, instead providing the reality thought by Donald Trump for his attempts to deploy the National Guard in Blue states.
“In reality and in the law, the President is using his authority as commander in chief, US Code 12406, which clearly states that the President has the right to call up the National Guard in cases where he deems it appropriate,” said the White House press secretary.
“And if you look at what has happened in Portland, Oregon, for more than 100 nights, I was talking to our law enforcement team about it this morning, for more than 100 days, night after night after night, the ICE facility has been really under siege by these anarchists outside,” she continued.
My son lives in Portland and his buddy just made a video showing what a “war zone” it is. Don’t spill your latte. https://t.co/I3nrwzk0H9 pic.twitter.com/OGTP51ibl6
— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) October 6, 2025
“They have been disrespecting law enforcement; they’ve been inciting violence,” added Leavitt. The White House Press Secretary also mentioned that the Trump administration is appealing the block order by the Oregon judge. She cited a different ruling by a judge based in Los Angeles that the POTUS had the authority to send in troops in the state.
“I spoke to the police chief of Portland last week and he said that the President’s claims just don’t match up with what’s happening on the ground,” Collins fired back.
Leavitt’s attitude grew intense as she said, ““I would encourage you, as a reporter to go on the ground and to take a look for yourself because there’s been many members of the press, not press in this room, but independent journalists, some of whom we’ll be inviting to the White House very soon to share their stories because they have been in the middle of these riots, and they have witnessed the anarchy that is taking place night after night.”
