Gee praises Oregon National Guard General’s decision to prioritize protecting protesters
Oct 9, 2025, 8:53 AM
The commanding general of the Oregon National Guard stated that his deployed troops will protect protesters instead of ICE agents.
As President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon, National Guard Commander General Alan R. Gronewold made these claims while testifying in a city committee hearing.
“Oregon National Guard men and women serve two purposes: to defend America and to protect Oregonians,” Gronewold said. “So by serving this mission, they will be protecting any protesters at the ICE facility. That’s my desire.
“I would just like to request of each of you and please pass this on to your colleagues that our soldiers are on the home team, and our job is to protect and serve Oregonians, and we follow lawful orders, and that’s what we’re doing,” Gronewold continued.”
KIRO host Gee Scott commended Gronewolds’ statements, labeling him a leader, and explained how some National Guard members who have been deployed are simply following orders to keep their jobs.
“I would almost bet that some of the National Guards that are standing there in those situations are asking themselves, ‘Why am I here?'” Gee said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “I’m quite sure that a lot of them being deployed just want to do their job. Sometimes, when decisions are made at the top, if you don’t want to lose your job, you have to continue to do what you appear to be doing.”
Watch the full discussion in the video above.
Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.
