President Donald Trump said he is sending troops to Portland, Oregon to protect ICE facilities, in the latest deployment of forces to a U.S. city.

"At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he said in a Truth Social post Sept. 27.

In a statement, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called the move to send federal troops "a short, expensive and fruitless show of force."

"The number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city. Our nation has a long memory for acts of oppression, and the president will not find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to perpetrate it," Wilson said. In Portland, the mayor is a nonpartisan position.

Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement she is trying to get more information from the White House and Homeland Security.

"We have been provided no information on the reason or purpose of any military mission. There is no national security threat in Portland. Our communities are safe and calm," Kotek said.

Like in states across the country, federal agents and protesters have clashed regularly outside the ICE building in Portland, including several arrests over the last few months.

In a press conference Sept. 26, local officials urged residents not to react to an increase of federal officers in the city.

“Don’t take the bait,” said U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. At the same press conference, Wilson said, “This may be a show of force, but that’s all it is: it’s just a big show.”

Other officials said the influx was aimed at goading protesters into a conflict.

The post does not specify whether Trump intends to activate national guard or another part of the military, or what Trump meant by saying he would "authorize Full Force, if necessary."

The White House, Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon did not immediately respond to emails requesting clarification.

The protests outside the ICE facility in Portland have occasionally been violent, but have caused tension between local residents and federal officials.

In a Sept. 26 news release, DHS pointed to arrests on two dates in June as examples of how people in Portland “have repeatedly attacked and laid siege to an ICE processing center.”

One person was charged for shining a laser in the eyes of ICE agents, another for throwing a smoke grenade at ICE officers and a third for attempting to damage equipment at the facility and then striking and kicking officers while being arrested.

The news release also stated that ICE agents have been doxed and were subject to death threats.

Trump earlier deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, amid strong criticism from Democrats in those areas and legal challenges. Only in Memphis, has Trump’s order been welcomed by the governor.

Earlier in September, Trump described living in Portland as “like living in hell” and said he was considering sending in federal troops. He has made similar threats in other Democrat-led cities including Chicago and Baltimore.

Since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump has blamed the “radical left” for the country’s problems with political violence. In a memo Thursday ordering a crackdown on alleged “organized political violence,” Trump wrote that “riots” in Portland and Los Angeles have resulted in a significant increase in attacks on ICE agents.

Trump indicated Thursday that an operation was underway.

“We’re going to get out there and we’re going to do a pretty big number on those people in Portland,” Trump said. He described them as “professional agitators and anarchists.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Full force if necessary,' Trump says he's sending troops to Portland, Oregon to protect ICE

Reporting by Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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