In the days before a fire broke out, the judge in this case had already been receiving several death threats.
Stephen Miller, a top adviser to Donald Trump, became furious after a judge stopped Trump from sending National Guard troops into U.S. cities. Miller seemed deeply frustrated that a judge had the power to challenge the president’s decisions, especially regarding the military.
Over the weekend, U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut made a temporary ruling that blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Oregon. She said that allowing federal troops to enter Portland against the state’s wishes would hurt Oregon’s right to govern itself.
Judge Immergut, who was actually appointed by Trump, first stopped the deployment of Oregon’s own National Guard troops. She then expanded the ruling to block deployments from any state’s National Guard for two weeks. The president has mistakenly referred to Judge Immergut as a man, even though she is a woman.
Miller reacted angrily to the ruling, posting a long message on social media just after midnight on Monday. In his post, he argued that the president has complete authority to send troops anywhere in the country to protect federal buildings or employees from what he described as violent attacks or domestic terrorism. He claimed that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was under serious threat from armed groups trying to stop the government from functioning.
Miller insisted that no lower court judge has any right to stop the president from using the military to protect federal property and people. He said the judge’s decision was a major and unacceptable attack on the Constitution and claimed it was an attempt to override the results of the 2024 election through legal means.
This kind of dramatic language is typical for Miller, especially when reacting to political opposition. His statements often paint a picture of crisis or danger, which some believe is meant to justify harsh government responses or actions.
The judge, however, didn’t agree with the alarming way Miller and the Trump administration described the situation in Portland. While Trump had said the city was so dangerous it needed military support, Judge Immergut said those claims weren’t based on real evidence. She pointed out that the protests near an ICE building in Portland had mostly been small and peaceful, not the kind of violent chaos that would require military intervention. She added that normal federal security forces were more than capable of handling the situation.
