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Fellow Oregonians,
As business leaders, elected officials, and community stakeholders in Portland, we firmly oppose any deployment of federal troops to our city and reject the negative characterization of our citizens. Recent statements by the president suggesting Portland needs federal military intervention are inaccurate and counterproductive to Portland's recovery and success in improving public safety.
The crime data clearly illustrates that Portland has no need for federal intervention. We have achieved the largest homicide reduction among major American cities, with a 51% decrease in the first half of 2025. Gun violence declined 30% from last year and nearly 60% since 2022. Our community-centered approach to public safety, which combines economic opportunity with targeted interventions, is yielding measurable results. The credit for this success belongs to our community and Portland law enforcement, who work hard to address these challenges every day. These remarkable results prove we have the capability to manage public safety without outside intervention. While more work remains, we stand united behind our local law enforcement's proven success.
Federal military intervention would directly threaten this progress and undermine the very momentum that’s attracting businesses activity and talent to our city. In Washington, D.C., restaurant sales plummeted 30% following federal troop deployment. Far from making people feel safe, an armed military presence dissuades customers and damages tourism and small businesses, which are vital to our economy. In 2020, the Trump Administration sent in federal agents in response to unrest over the murder of George Floyd, inflaming and extending the protests. This was counterproductive and compounded the harm to Portland.
Let us be clear: Portland’s police department, in partnership with community leaders, has demonstrated that they are equipped and have the expertise to manage public safety while protecting constitutional rights. We have not requested federal assistance and do not want or require military intervention.
As a community, we call on the Trump Administration to:
- Refrain from deploying federal troops to Portland.
- Refrain from interfering with local solutions that are producing positive results.
- Recognize Portland’s progress rather than perpetuating outdated narratives.
Portland is vibrant and thriving. Every month, more than 2 million people come downtown to see our progress firsthand, with July of this year hitting a post-pandemic high of 2.83 million visitors. The city was recently ranked in the top 25 on LinkedIn's Cities on the Rise 2025, recognizing Portland among the fastest-growing U.S. metros for jobs and new talent — a testament to our economic momentum that LinkedIn attributes to “local entrepreneurs and renewed optimism as foot traffic across the city center roars back, helping the city reclaim its reputation for livability.” We were pleased to be recognized as the cleanest metro in the nation.
Just like with public safety, we recognize that there is more work to do and we continue to forge public private partnerships every day to make our city better.
Portland’s ongoing recovery demonstrates that local leadership and economic growth strengthen communities. Federal intervention would reverse the gains we’ve achieved and undermine principles of local governance that have always made America strong.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
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