Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she was “extremely disappointed” by her meeting with Portland Mayor Keith Wilson on Tuesday and revealed the ultimatum she gave him over security measures to protect federal officers and the ICE facility that violent rioters have repeatedly targeted.
Speaking to Fox News’s Jesse Watters, Noem explained that the agency isn’t asking for a lot—simply that its officers are not hung out to dry as they continue to come under attack by anarchists who are running the city. But Wilson offered no reassurances, according to the secretary.
“He did not commit to any of those promises and said he would give me an answer by tomorrow, and I’m hopeful that he will,” she said, referring to her requests for more security around the building, a bigger buffer zone for officers and backup if needed, as well as having the streets opened up.
“What I told him is that if he did not follow through on some of these security measures for our officers, we were going to cover him up with more federal resources and that we were going to send four times the amount of federal officers here.”
🚨BREAKING: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says she met with the MAYOR of Portland and GAVE HIM AN ULTIMATUM 🚨@KristiNoem: “I told him that if he doesn’t follow through on these security measures… we’ll send four times the number of federal officers here so the people of Portland… pic.twitter.com/sSGTXFNDdZ
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) October 8, 2025
Noem went on to argue Wilson likely wouldn't act until someone gets "violently hurt or killed" and if that happens, he would have "blood on his hands"—having been too afraid of political consequences to ensure the city’s safety.
NEW: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says the Mayor of Portland is WAITING until someone gets “VIOLENTLY HURT OR KILLED”@KristiNoem: “Antifa-affiliated individuals are outside this building right now shouting “Death to law enforcement!” while the mayor drives home, has a fancy… pic.twitter.com/A64QgqX3u3
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) October 8, 2025