White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt unleashed a dramatic and unsupported claim on Friday afternoon while justifying President Donald Trump's plans to send military forces to keep order in Portland, Oregon — a famously progressive city where peaceful demonstrations have flared up against Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the area.
"President Trump will end the radical left's reign of terror in Portland once and for all," said Leavitt. "The president has directed Secretary Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland."
Immediately, commenters on social media had strong reactions to Leavitt asserting that a U.S. city is "war-ravaged" or being subject to a "reign of terror."
"'War-ravaged Portland' they are literally fabricating by an alternate reality in front of our eyes," wrote Zeteo News founder and former British-American MSNBC contributor Mehdi Hasan.
"I know they say crazy stuff all the time but this is completely insane," wrote Slate columnist Zachary Carter.
"Actual war-ravaged cities would like a word..." wrote Susan Glasser of The New Yorker.
"Portland local here.," wrote PowerA Gaming marketing communications specialist Ian Bragg. "Portland is NOT war-ravaged. There are peaceful protests in front of the ICE building and that building is outside of the heart of the city. It's all within a 1 block. This is authoritarian theater to put pressure on cities Trump doesn't like."
"Just comic book fascism," wrote podcaster Jim Stewartson.
"'War-ravaged.' Don't overlook the language here, folks," wrote author Jennifer Erin Valent. "They're using it intentionally, both to lay groundwork for using the military against Americans and to pit us against each other."
"This is a lie," wrote Indiana congressional candidate Kelly Thompson. "It's a lie from the top of our government to you and me. It's a dry run for something coming and we cannot fall for it."
"Among other horrors, Portland coffee shops offer SIX different types of milk!" wrote Bill Prady, the TV producer who co-created "The Big Bang Theory."