Federal agents to begin 'phased withdrawal' from Portland, Oregon governor says


After weeks of clashing with protesters in Portland, federal agents will begin leaving the city Thursday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said Wednesday.
U.S. government officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, and Oregon struck a deal which paves the way for a "phased withdrawal" of the agents, who protesters and state and local officials have accused of exacerbating violence and arresting demonstrators without identifying themselves. In turn, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said a "robust presence" of Oregon State Police will remain in downtown Portland to help protect federal property as protests against police brutality continue. The usual team of federal officers that protects Portland's U.S. courthouse — which protesters have surrounded on an almost nightly basis — will continue to provide interior security for the building, The New York Times notes.
Earlier Wednesday, President Trump suggested federal officers would remain in the city until local and state authorities like Brown and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, whom he described as "weak," had "secured their city," but it no longer appears to be an accurate statement. Read more at The Associated Press and The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Eighty years after Hiroshima: how close is nuclear conflict?
Today's Big Question Eight decades on from the first atomic bomb 'we have blundered into a new age of nuclear perils'
-
Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa: a tranquil haven in Sardinia
The Week Recommends This family-friendly resort is steps from the sea and boasts a well-equipped kids' club
-
America's controversial path to the atomic bomb
In Depth The bombing of Hiroshima followed years of escalation by the U.S., but was it necessary?
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest