Amid criticism of tactics used by federal law enforcement officers to quell violence in Portland, Oregon, President Donald Trump is suggesting that he may send federal agents to several other cities that are seeing a surge in crime.
Speaking about the situation in several cities at the White House on Monday, Trump said that police officers in New York City are “restricted from doing anything” to curb the city’s surge in crime.
“I’m going to do something, that I can tell you,” Trump said, adding, “Because we’re not going to let New York, and Chicago, and Philadelphia, and Detroit, and Baltimore, and all of these … Oakland is a mess. We’re not going to let this happen in our country.”
When asked specifically if Trump would send federal law enforcement to the cities, he said, “We’ll have more federal law enforcement, that I can tell you.”
He praised the federal officers in Portland, who he said have “done a fantastic job.”
“They really have done a fantastic job in a very short period of time. No problem. They grab them, a lot of people in jail,” Trump said.
Watch the video below:
#BREAKING: President Trump says he may send "more federal law enforcement" to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Oakland, and other cities to deal with unrest: "In Portland they’ve done a fantastic job." pic.twitter.com/Pe6aDv6AVt
— The Hill (@thehill) July 20, 2020
While Trump praised the work of federal officials in Portland, House Democrats want an investigation into the tactics used by the officers.
In a letter to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, several House Democrats raised concerns that the departments “abused emergency authorities” and were targeting peaceful protesters to “suppress First Amendment-protected activities in Washington, D.C., Portland and other communities.”
“Citizens are concerned that the Administration has deployed a secret police force, not to investigate crimes, but to intimidate individuals it views as political adversaries,” the letter added.
The reference to a secret police force comes after videos emerged on social media of officers dressed in camouflage uniforms in unmarked cars were detaining individuals.
Trump described the demonstrations as “anarchists” who “hate our country.”
The president went on the blast the local leaders in Portland, and other cities for not cracking down on violent demonstrations.
“The governor, and the mayor, and the senators out there, they’re afraid of these people. That’s the reason they don’t want us to help them. They’re afraid. I really believe they’re actually, maybe even physically afraid of these people.”
On Monday, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf defended the tactics used by federal agents in Portland, “We’re not going to apologize for it.”
“We’re going to do it professionally and do it correctly,” he added.
Federal officers were to sent Portland to crack down on protesters who were targeting federal buildings.
In one instance, protesters started to tear down fencing around a federal courthouse. They also lit a fire in the portico of the courthouse.
Federal agents dispersed the demonstrators using tear gas and flashbangs. The Portland Portland Police Department said its officers did not use tear gas to disperse the protesters.