Politicians Portray Peaceful Portland Paradise and…Pinot Noir

Donald Trump announced that he was sending the National Guard to protect ICE agents and residents from Antifa terrorists who riot daily in the city. 

He used his typically hyperbolic style of social media post to announce the decision, grossly offending Washington State and local politicians, who challenged the president’s portrayal of their city. 

So the plywood is a… design choice? https://t.co/gMdnx6uAXL

— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) September 28, 2025

I have to admit that they are doing a great job showing the nicer side of Portland, although I also noticed that a large number of the photos they post include remarkably few people in public places on what appears to be a glorious Sunday. 

Scenes from ‘war ravaged’ Portland today.

My message to Trump’s troops: You are not needed. You are not wanted. Go home. pic.twitter.com/0LBvrEnFY0

— Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (@RepDexterOR) September 27, 2025

We are being treated to a travelogue of beautiful images from the city, and in the spirit of CNN, I will acknowledge that the city is “mostly peaceful,” meaning that not everywhere is awful and filled with drug addicted homeless people pooping in the street and living from overdose to overdose. 

But anybody familiar with the decline of the city is quite aware that it is plagued by drugs, homelessness, a “vibrant” Antifa-led culture of violent “riots,” and a declining business climate due to crime. People are fleeing downtown because it is dangerous to work there. 

Portland is so bad that commercial real estate occupancy rates are the lowest in the country.

One proposed solution has been to build bridges between parking garages and office buildings so that workers don’t have to walk on the street. https://t.co/rksGK3798f pic.twitter.com/J2TjJBUYMD

— Coddled Affluent Professional (@feelsdesperate) September 28, 2025

I personally know 5 people–quite liberal people, actually–who have left Portland over the past few years. It is one of the few reasons I have followed its decline with sadness; that, and the fact that I actually like cities filled with quirky people, weird cultures, and good food. We all benefit from having such places around, as long as they don’t destroy themselves. Lefties who actually like peace, love, and weird things are a nice leavening to a bourgeois culture. 

This is one of the most popular food cart pods in Portland at 1pm and there’s literally nobody there. The whole area is dead. More people in some of the gentrified areas near Powell’s, but not near the waterfront. I’m actually weirded out. Did the rapture happen? pic.twitter.com/WpH9mulZnR

— ghost Tara Faul (@tarafaul503) September 28, 2025

Unfortunately, places like San Francisco and Portland are committing suicide, and proud of doing so because it upsets people like us. They really would prefer to burn down the village to spite you and me. It’s like the pregnant women quaffing Tylenol like Tic Tacs to spite Trump. 

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof dropped my favorite liberal take on Portland on Saturday, taking umbrage at Trump’s description of the city. It was, if you appreciate liberal poetry, perfect:

President Trump has dispatched federal troops to what he calls “war-ravaged Portland.” Portland has its problems but it is not the “hell” Trump claims; it remains a food-and-wine heaven. “Hell” does not serve Pinot Noir this good. I suspect Trump is sending troops mainly to see…

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) September 27, 2025

President Trump has dispatched federal troops to what he calls “war-ravaged Portland.” Portland has its problems but it is not the “hell” Trump claims; it remains a food-and-wine heaven. “Hell” does not serve Pinot Noir this good. I suspect Trump is sending troops mainly to see if he can provoke violence to distract from his messes (Epstein files, corruption, tariffs, economic softening) and justify his authoritarian rule.

Does it get better than that? 

Portland has its problems, such as…

Portland is a war zone because of lunatic Leftists like you encouraging Antifa to riot against law enforcement.

You’ve ruined your Democrat-led cities and states.

You have bl**d on your hands.

Lock Patty Murray up.pic.twitter.com/YtsjwSsS0c

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 27, 2025

The Dems/MSM are claiming that Portland is completely peaceful and that there is no need for Trump to send troops to the ICE facility.

Meanwhile, in reality, this is what the ICE facility in Portland goes through almost every night.

The Dems/MSM are defending these people…… pic.twitter.com/uG2Y4aX2XC

— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) September 28, 2025

But it happens to be a place where you can get some really fine Pinot Noir, so everything is still great for the elite. 

‘”Hell” does not serve Pinot Noir this good.’

Great tweet.

You can turn a city over to a literal zombie apocalypse and as long as affluent boomers can have their little treats they’ll act like there’s no problem and think it’s weird that you even care about all the psychotic… https://t.co/9T5L8we9Yz

— Coddled Affluent Professional (@feelsdesperate) September 28, 2025

You can turn a city over to a literal zombie apocalypse and as long as affluent boomers can have their little treats they’ll act like there’s no problem and think it’s weird that you even care about all the psychotic hobos, drug addicts, and antifa goons.

Of course, if you want to enjoy the food and wine heaven, you have to be willing to enjoy your dinner and wine while watching homeless people pee and poop right outside the window. But the window keeps the smell away, and most overdoses that people on the street suffer are survived due to the wide availability of Narcan. 

Portland (Sept. 28) — @PortlandPolice responded to the scene at the ICE facility and one officer was assaulted. Antifa militants pushed them out of the area.

Video by: @KatieDaviscourtpic.twitter.com/xBAwxiflsh

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) September 29, 2025

Police may be unable to catch criminals–not that they would be prosecuted–because they are the ones administering that Narcan, but after the third glass of excellent wine, it doesn’t bother you…

Yes, Portland is still hell. A homeless woman experiencing chemically induced psychosis. We called 911 over an hour ago and nobody showed. There are multiple police and fire everywhere but they are managing the protest pic.twitter.com/62xDu8LvG1

— Kevin Dahlgren 🥾 🥾 (@kevinvdahlgren) September 28, 2025

Kristof is, actually, one of the better Times columnists, but as you can see, he still has the liberal elite disease of believing that because his life is still nice, everybody else’s must be as well.

If you asked the finest satirists of the age to parody boomer liberalism, they couldn’t possibly do any better than “Hell does not serve Pinot Noir this good.” https://t.co/PAgliQVGWT

— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) September 28, 2025

Or, if not, they are probably bad MAGA people anyway. 

It’s not a possibility. It’s true. Many Oregon Democrats find it useful that Antifa intimidate, beat and kill their political opponents. Conservative events being shut down with violence benefits Democrats because then Republicans can’t engage in the democratic process. https://t.co/ifqvMw9Jc8

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) September 28, 2025

Portland is dying of suicide, and I doubt that the National Guard can stop the bleeding. At best, they will help defend federal agents doing their jobs, and that is appropriate. I would say I am sorry that this upsets the liberals who want to believe that virtue signaling is superior to good city management, but actually, I am not.  

A post-apocalyptic dystopia? Yes, but it’s not a movie – this is Portland, Oregon

This is the shocking reality of one of the city’s pedestrian underpasses pic.twitter.com/mO3ON8ZQHt

— Camus (@newstart_2024) September 28, 2025

I am all out of f**ks to give, to be honest. No curated set of photos of mostly empty streets will cover up the crime, homelessness, and drug overdoses, or trash-filled streets. Yes, there are still nice parts of Portland, but that is also true of third-world cities. No doubt you could create a tourist brochure that makes Sana’a, Yemen, look inviting. The old city is supposed to be lovely, as long as you don’t mind the possibility of being murdered by a Houthi. 

Trantifa are urging people to kill me to silence my reporting on Portland.

“Portland is peaceful.”
“Just administer the lead pill doctor.” pic.twitter.com/rOC5IYfY7P

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) September 28, 2025

There are plenty of places to get a fine meal and a decent Pinot Noir, if those are your goals in life. We don’t have to tolerate domestic terrorists attacking law enforcement to preserve Portland’s unique vibe. 

In Portland, Ore., a local business owner is speaking to the media about how his employees aren’t able to use the city parking spots that he pays for because of homeless encampments on the street.

One of the people in the camp says it’s not her problem and that she doesn’t want… pic.twitter.com/65uEKKnmUk

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) September 3, 2025