Trump says federal government won’t step into protests in Democratic-led cities ‘until they ask us for help’
By Alejandra Jaramillo, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump said he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests or unrest in Democratic-led cities unless local officials formally request assistance, amid criticism over heavy-handed immigration enforcement tactics.
“I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
“We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists,” he added.
CNN has reached out to the White House and Department of Homeland Security for more details about Trump’s announcement.
The president reiterated the message in remarks to reporters Saturday night, saying, “Cities are all Democrat-run cities, and if they want help, they have to ask for it, because if we go in, all they do is complain.”
The announcement comes after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, which have transformed the national conversation on immigration enforcement and appear to have driven a tone shift from the White House in recent days.
Trump warned there would be “no spitting in the faces of our Officers,” along with attacks on law enforcement vehicles or damage to federal property, promising “equal, or more, consequence” for those who do. Trump also said local and state governments are responsible for protecting their own property, along with federal property, with the federal government serving as a backstop.
Pressed by reporters later Saturday on what he meant by that, Trump promised an aggressive federal response to protect government property.
“If they do anything bad to our people, they will have to suffer. I’m sorry, if they start spitting in people’s faces, punching our people, punching our soldiers, our patriots, they will get taken care of in at least an equal way,” Trump warned, adding they’ll “be met with very, very serious force.”
The president cited an incident in Oregon, where he claimed demonstrators broke into a federal building, damaged property and harassed employees while local police failed to intervene. “We will not let that happen anymore!” Trump wrote.
Local officials in Eugene, Oregon, however, disputed the president’s characterization, saying police did respond to the incident.
In a statement released Friday night, the Eugene Police Department said activity at the federal building was declared a riot and officers ordered people to leave the area after breaches at entry points.
“Some protesters breached the building and went inside. Occupants include civilian staff,” Eugene police said. “Eugene Police’s presence is an attempt to keep things de-escalated.”
Trump said federal assistance would be provided swiftly if requested, but that states had to use the word “please.”
“Remember that I stated, in the strongest of language, to BEWARE — ICE, Border Patrol or, if necessary, our Military, will be extremely powerful and tough in the protection of our Federal Property,” Trump wrote.
Trump has also been threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, which gives a president extraordinary powers to dispatch the military to put down domestic unrest.
The president’s comments come as demonstrations are expected throughout the weekend and after a nationwide strike in protest of the federal immigration enforcement crackdown Friday.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
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CNN’s Riane Lumer contributed to this report.
