The claim that the Oregon National Guard general said the Guard would be instructed to protect protesters rather than ICE is unverified because none of the available sources explicitly report such a statement or directive from an Oregon National Guard general.
Unverified
The Oregon national Guard general says if the guard were to be deployed they would be instructed to protect the protesters not ICE.
Judge blocks deployment of national guard to Oregon as Newsom vows to sue - Gavin Newsom | The Guardian
Source: theguardian.com
At a glance
Verified October 8, 2025Key Evidence
Multiple sources (Fox News, OPB, CNN) report that the National Guard deployment was intended to protect federal facilities and ICE agents during protests.
Legal rulings blocked or challenged these deployments but did not mention any change in mission to protect protesters.
No source contains a statement from an Oregon National Guard general indicating a directive to protect protesters instead of ICE.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
The search results primarily focus on the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, amid protests related to ICE and federal immigration enforcement. Multiple sources report legal challenges and judicial blocks against the Trump administration's attempts to deploy National Guard units, including out-of-state troops, to protect federal facilities and ICE agents.
However, none of the articles or official statements cited in these sources include any direct quotes or official communications from an Oregon National Guard general stating that if deployed, the Guard would be instructed to protect protesters instead of ICE. The sources emphasize that the stated mission by federal and state military officials was to protect federal property and personnel, including ICE agents, rather than protesters.
Given this absence of direct evidence or official confirmation, the specific claim about the Oregon National Guard general's instructions cannot be confirmed based on the provided information.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source