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Nat’l Guard Commander Stirs Controversy with Vow to ‘Protect’ Those Targeting ICE Facilities
The Brigadier General commanding the Oregon National Guard is in a bit of hot water.
Maybe.
I say maybe, because there are a lot of liberties being taken in how his words are being characterized on social media, as well as in ‘the’ media.
For one thing, he has been accused of planning to DISOBEY the lawful orders of the Commander in Chief if the troops under his command get deployed to protect ICE facilities.
But… did he actually say that?
Now, before you crucify me — hear me out! I’m not vouching for the guy!
But I also don’t want to throw him under the military transport bus without doing my homework first.
I’ll tell you up front that a few of the things he has said about President Trump’s attempt to federalize and field the Oregon National Guard in Portland definitely doesn’t jive perfectly with how things work; Constitutionally speaking.
And there are some serious problems with how he’s characterizing the mission, and how those troops should view their duty if they are federalized and transferred to a direct chain of Command within the Department of War.
At least… SOME of what he has said can be taken that way.
But as I dug into this viral story, I quickly realized a lot of things are being taken out of context from both sides.
I’m not into presuming facts; I want to know the TRUTH.
And this is a heated topic. Antifa and left-wing mobs are routinely ATTACKING Federal ICE Facilities in multiple states, across multiple cities.
Antifa — which President Trump recently designated as a Domestic Terror Organization, and just yesterday indicated he would designate as a GLOBAL Terror Organization as well.
Those guys, along with a mix of Anti-ICE protestors from across the spectrum of the political Left have been endangering Federal Agents, attempting to thwart their lawful sworn duty, and successfully unleashing chaotic violence upon American cities.
That BS needs to stop, one way or another — just so you’re clear where I stand on that!
But I really want to know the TRUTH of what the Oregon National Guard Commander has said, and inform you of those facts. Particularly since his words are really making waves at the moment.
I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror if all I did was parrot what all the headlines and social media clickbait want you to believe.
Let’s begin with the viral 8-second clip that has been viewed millions of times just in the last few days.
This was shared on X by a self-described “Progressive Democrat” CELEBRATING what is being touted in those circles as a military commander standing up to a tyrannical President.
That’s ALSO how the majority on the political Right are viewing it, minus the tyrannical President part.
But as I said… I’m not into following the herd.
I want to know the TRUTH, first for myself — and then so that I can be sure I’m reporting facts… and not just repeating someone else’s talking point.
Keep in mind this short clip is LACKING CONTEXT, which we’ll dive in to momentarily.
But here is Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold who sits atop the military command structure within the Oregon National Guard… in his own words:
The Oregon national guard general says if the Oregon National guard were to be deployed they would be instructed under his leadership to protect the protesters not ICE.
pic.twitter.com/E8WNK1xQ3n
— Winter (@Wpoliticss) October 8, 2025
I’ll drop a full screen version of that clip here for convenience:
The Oregon national guard general says if the Oregon National guard were to be deployed they would be instructed under his leadership to protect the protesters not ICE.
pic.twitter.com/E8WNK1xQ3n
— Winter (@Wpoliticss) October 8, 2025
Obviously, that’s not what most of us who identify as Conservatives and Trump Supporters want to hear.
Thus, the controversy.
Broadly put, a lot of us are simply ready for the authorities to drop the legitimate hammer of justice on those trying to THWART the lawful execution of a revitalized immigration policy that DOES NOT tolerate illegal entry into the country!
When I hear the top commander of a National Guard unit emphasizing that he’s going to focus on protecting those he’s being sent there to STOP… that’s a problem.
But as I said, that’s lacking context. Maybe there’s more to this story than an 8-second clip can reveal?
That clip, coming up on 2-weeks old, is only now surfacing as the battle over federalizing the state’s National Guard troops heats up.
Here’s a little more context on Gronewold’s words according to coverage from the long-running state newspaper, The Oregonian:
A nine-day-old snippet of testimony in front of Oregon lawmakers is rocketing around social media as Portland awaits word from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on President Trump’s troop deployment plans.
Oregon’s top military leader offered some reassuring — or infuriating, depending on one’s political perspective — comments about the role of National Guard soldiers during a proposed federal troop deployment to Portland.
Speaking before a state Senate subcommittee, Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold told legislators that before deployment, the two companies of soldiers would be trained in “protective crowd control.” That training is now up in the air as Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday ordered troops to go home after a federal judge ruled over the weekend that Trump had no authority to call them up.
Gronewold said Guard soldiers serve two purposes: “One, to defend America, and two, to protect Oregonians. And so by serving in this mission, they will be protecting any protesters at the ICE facility.”
The general’s comments Sept. 30 resurfaced online this week and drew both praise and scrutiny in equal measure. It’s an open question whether soldiers from the guard — from Oregon or any other state — will actually deploy outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in South Portland. (Emphasis added.)
Again, I’m not attempting to say the General’s words are above reproach.
But if you noticed that section in bold in the quoted article, a fuller picture of what he actually said starts to emerge.
Still… not above reproach. But more CONTEXTUALLY ACCURATE than that viral 8-second clip alone can show.
But it’s simply not correct to ONLY report that he said he would protect the protesters targeting the ICE facilities.
In fact, he didn’t technically say he would protect those ‘TARGETING’ the ICE facilities — a phrasing I used in my headline because that’s how it’s being framed in most of the online discussions and media reports.
Could he have meant that? Without a doubt, that could be his meaning.
But again, I’m not into PRESUMING.
As things get more complicated in this age of deceit in which we’re living, it’s going to get harder and harder to get to the bottom of a situation with FACTS.
But that’s the job, and we will each rise or fall in that complicated environment dependent largely on how serious we are about sticking to that principle.
With that in mind, here’s another LONGER YouTube clip of the Brigadier General’s words to give us even more context:
Here are just a few takeaways from what he ACTUALLY SAID in that clip that stood out to me:
He believes the Oregon National Guard should fulfill two missions if federalized; one to America, and one to Oregonians.
It bothers him that protesters targeting the ICE facilities won’t DIFERENTIATE between true federal authorities, and the Oregon Guard operating under federal control.
Now we have something substantial to work with.
I don’t generally have a lot against that first takeaway, except to say that if the National Guard is federalized… it COMPLETELY removes him from the chain of command.
He is the Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard — meaning he reports directly to the top dog in the State, the Governor.
If federalized, the Oregon National Guard troops will operate under a command structure that puts the Department of War and President Trump in the place of Gronewold and the Governor.
So in effect… he is attempting to outline the mission focus of those soldiers in a scenario in which he would not have anything to say about their mission focus!
That’s not something I’ve heard mentioned amid the controversy, but that’s definitely an issue all it’s own.
But that 2nd takeaway… that tells me something about his true allegiance.
He doesn’t want ‘his’ Oregonian troops to be viewed as the federal authorities are viewed — namely… OBEYING the lawful orders of the President!
At no point does he actually say that he intends to disobey the President, or that he intends to ONLY protect those attacking the ICE facilities.
He just factually never says that.
Again, he could MEAN that… but it takes a heap of presumption to prefer that meaning over being precise.
I’m going with precision.
But he DOES precisely state that he doesn’t like the idea of ‘his’ troops being seen akin to those federal agents they’ll be serving alongside!
That’s really the point at which the veneer of his professionalism crumbles.
And that’s an awfully big circumstantial argument that he DID mean that he would prioritize protecting those who are attacking the federal facilities!
And that’s why he’s getting comments like this on social media calling for him to be court-martialed:
Court Marshal this treasonous General https://t.co/rXsUYmEzdN
— Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) October 9, 2025
And this one, claiming sedition:
How can he “protect” people from the law? If they break the law, they are supposed to be held accountable. Sounds like sedition to me. https://t.co/m6dT59118A
— Lara Logan (@laralogan) October 9, 2025
And this one… arguing that he’s working for the ‘insurgents’:
His duty is to the Constitution not to insurgents. https://t.co/CYoJiogWWn
— Col. Rob Maness ret. (@RobManess) October 9, 2025
But as I said, this is a complicated situation, made more so by Gronewold’s own words.
Because around the same time that he made those comments, he also sent a letter to the National Guard troops, touching on those issues:
In that letter, he didn’t tell them to disobey the orders of the President, or to coordinate with Antifa, or anything like that.
He didn’t warn them to prepare to defend mother Oregon from the fascist invaders from the MAGA-infested hinterland.
He actually warned them to keep their sworn oath to the Constitution, and to obey the lawful orders of the President, and to execute their professional duty.
He even pointed out to the troops what I just took him to task over… that neither he nor the Oregon Governor would remain in the command structure if those troops are federalized, as reported by the CBS affiliate KOIN out of Portland:
After fulfilling their mission for 200 volunteers on Tuesday, Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold, the Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard, sent a letter to the state’s soldiers and airmen.
“I need everyone to understand the command relationship with this particular mission,” Gronwold said. “Once our service members are mobilized under Title 10, they are in federal service. They answer to U.S. Northern Command – not to me and not to Governor Kotek. Different authority, and a different chain of command.”
In addition to coordinating plans with their civilian employers — as members of the National Guard often have day jobs — Gronwold also warned service members to “be smart on social media.”
“Please don’t get into political arguments online while wearing the uniform or identifying yourself as a member of the Oregon Guard. Understand you represent something bigger than yourself, and the public is watching. Show them the professionalism I know you’re capable of,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you – I know this isn’t easy. Some people in Oregon won’t understand or won’t support this mission. Some might even be hostile about it. But we’ve been through tough situations before. We are professionals who do our duties, regardless of how it’s received.” (Emphasis added.)
Here’s the full text of his letter to the ‘Soldiers and Airmen of the Oregon National Guard:
29 September 2025
To the Soldiers and Airmen of the Oregon National Guard
SUBJECT: Title 10 Federal Mobilization – A Message to Our Team
By now, many of you have heard that approximately 200 of our service members will be mobilized under Title 10 federal authority for operations in the Portland area. I want to take a moment to speak with you directly about what this means and my expectations. Yesterday, the Department of Defense requested our support through U.S. Northern Command. The mission is straightforward: protect federal facilities and the federal employees working in them.
I need everyone to understand the command relationship with this particular mission. Once our service members are mobilized under title 10, they are in federal service. They answer to U.S. Northern Command – not to me and not to Governor Kotek. Different authority, and a different chain of command.
I know some of you may have strong feelings about this mission. That’s okay. You are citizens first, but you’re also service members who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and follow the orders of the President and the Governor. That oath doesn’t come with an asterisk that says, “only when I agree with the mission.” We don’t get to pick and choose. We execute lawful orders with professionalism and honor, period. That’s what sets us apart. That’s what makes us the National Guard.
I also want to be clear with those of you who aren’t mobilizing: this doesn’t diminish our ongoing state mission. We will continue to respond when the Governor calls – whether for wildfires, floods, ice storms, or whatever else Mother Nature or circumstances throw at Oregon. We’re still Oregon’s Guard, and we remain ready to serve our communities. This hasn’t and won’t change.
For those of you who are mobilizing, take care of your families. Have a solid family
readiness plan. Use your unit Family Readiness Groups. We have Servicemember Family
Support, Chaplain, Legal, and other resources available to help you. Remember, your
families need to hear from you, even if you can’t discuss operational specifics. A phone call
home matters more than you think.
Communicate with your civilian employers. Link them up with our State Employer
Supporter of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Committee if they have questions about your
military commitment. Contact your unit administrator about USERRA protections for your
job, if needed.
For everyone, I’m asking you to be smart on social media. Don’t post about unit
movements, mobilization details, or operational information. Please don’t get into political
arguments online while wearing the uniform or identifying yourself as a member of the
Oregon Guard. Understand you represent something bigger than yourself, and the public is
watching. Show them the professionalism I know you’re capable of.
I’ll be honest with you – I know this isn’t easy. Some people in Oregon won’t understand
or won’t support this mission. Some might even be hostile about it. But we’ve been through
tough situations before. We are professionals who do our duties, regardless of how it’s
received.
We are the Oregon National Guard – Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen who serve where we
live. We’ve been doing this for over 150 years, through wars, disasters, and everything in
between. We don’t serve because it’s easy or popular. We serve because it’s our duty and
because we took an oath.
To those mobilizing: Execute your mission with honor. Stay focused, stay professional,
and stay safe. To those remaining: stand ready. Support your teammates. And keep taking
care of Oregon.
We’re in this together.
Always Ready, Always There!
Alan R. Gronewold
Brigadier General
The Adjutant General
Compared to most of the heat I’ve seen thrown his way, the actual contents of that letter — his previous words notwithstanding — reads like you’d WANT it to read.
He reminds them to prepare their families in advance, take advantage of support structures, and handle themselves professionally on social media.
If anything, that letter actually warns against Oregonian domestic pushback… because people “won’t understand” or “won’t support” the mission.
At least in terms of his letter to the troops, I don’t see a hint of rebellion in it.
There’s one more video I came across showing Brig. General Gronewold standing with the Mayor of Portland last month while he was attacking President Trump’s plan to federalize the Oregon National Guard.
The command and leadership of a state’s National Guard is not commonly REQUIRED to attend something like this out of duty stemming from his official role over the National Guard.
Check out this clip, and notice Gronewold on the back right:
INSURRECTION: The Portland Mayor is taking the side of Antifa and its prolonged insurgency against Portland federal buildings and staff. He appears to have the support of Adjutant General Alan Gronewold of the Oregon National Guard. pic.twitter.com/iJpVMghgvT
— @amuse (@amuse) September 28, 2025
To be clear, he wasn’t attending the Mayor’s press briefing in order to hear what he had to say.
He was standing WITH the Mayor and other officials as the Mayor delivered his attack on President Trump’s agenda.
Not a good look, at the least.
I initially wanted to include “Fact Check” in the headline, and that was the approach I generally wanted to take with this story.
But I ultimately removed those words from the title because usually when you “fact check” something, you come up with a CONCLUSION.
And I honestly don’t know how Brig. General Gronewold is going to play this.
His words before the Portland City Council in that viral 8-second clip sound pretty damning.
But even after clearing up some of the misinformation about his actual words, there remain questions as to his allegiance.
That said, he very firmly and consistently urged the troops of the Oregon National Guard to honor their oath, protect the Constitution, OBEY the lawful orders of the President, and maintain their professional duty whether they liked the mission… or not.
We checked some facts, but I’m not sure I know how the dice will ultimately fall in this situation with regards to the Commander of the Oregon National Guard.
But I hope that deep-dive into the TRUTH, examining what he actually said, will prove useful to you as this situation develops.
The misinformation is likely to get worse long before it gets better, particularly in a powder keg scenario like this one.
Keep your head, pay attention to FACTS, think for YOURSELF, and above all else… don’t get caught running with the herd unless you KNOW the herd is running in the right direction!
It may yet turn out that we are about to witness a mutiny of sorts involving Gronewold and elements under his command.
But before that question can be answered, President Trump’s order to federalize those National Guard troops must first get free of the judges tying it up in the courts.
That will likely be the next development in this story — and we’ll be sure to bring it to you FACTUALLY as it happens.
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