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After Nearly 60 Days Of Portland Riots, Oregon’s Governor Finally Steps In

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Oregon Governor Kate Brown has agreed to address the violence in Portland that’s been ongoing for nearly 60 days by sending in State and local police, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced Wednesday.

“This is police that we have been asking for for the past 60 days,” Wolf told reporters on a phone conference Wednesday.

“This is the type of response that every other responsible city in the U.S. has with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement. I am glad that Oregon and Portland are now deciding to be a responsible city,” he said.

Until now, federal law enforcement has defended federal property, specifically the Hatfield Courthouse, against violent criminals, opportunists, and anarchists, said Wolf.

The violence has taken place each day in the early morning hours, Wolf added, emphasizing that the violence he’s referring too isn’t coming from peaceful protestors demonstrating in Portland.

“While we have seen nonviolent protests in Portland every day, the violent activity that I have been referring to over the last several weeks and months is not associated with these protests,” Wolf said. ” I want to be clear about this fact. The Department is aware of the national dialogue taking place and will continue to support and defend every Americans’ right to exercise their first amendment.”

“Our federal officers have faced assaults of molotov cocktails, mortar-style commercial grade fireworks, accelerants, IEDs, and other violent weapons,” he added. “Since July 4th, we’ve made 94 arrests, we have had over 245 DHS law enforcement personnel injured. Those injuries range from minor to seriously injured, to include several who may have permanent eye damage.”

Wolf continued, “On 16 separate occasions, the Portland Police Bureau or FPS, Federal Protective Service have declared a riot or unlawful assembly. The violence in Portland is there. We have just shown pictures, we’ve shown the video. It is undeniable, the violence that is taking place in Portland.”

Wolf expressed the need for state and local leaders to enforce proper policing on the streets, saying federal officers will remain in Portland. As part of a joint plan between DHS and the Governor, State and local police will begin by securing the streets surrounding the Courthouse and working alongside FPS to ensure the protection of federal property.

“Federal Protective Service and U.S. Marshalls will continue to provide security inside the Courthouse, as they have done throughout the past several months. DHS law enforcement officers will remain in Portland.”

Until DHS can be “assured that the Courthouse and other federal facilities will no longer be attacked nightly and set afire,” they will not leave the area, Wolf explained and repeated several times.

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China

Pentagon Report Reveals China’s Rapid Nuclear Expansion, Doubling Previous U.S. Estimates

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China’s nuclear arsenal has surged to over 500 warheads—more than double the previous U.S. estimate—according to a newly released Pentagon intelligence report. This “rapid expansion” is raising alarm among U.S. officials as Beijing aggressively accelerates its military capabilities and steps up hostilities toward allied states in the Pacific.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that in 2020, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessed that China had amassed roughly 200 nuclear warheads and projected that the count could reach 400 by 2030. But the latest findings show China has already far exceeded that estimate, and the Pentagon now believes China could have over 1,000 operational warheads by 2030.

According to the report, China’s current nuclear build-up represents the most rapid and ambitious modernization effort in its history, indicating the nation’s long-term strategy for sustained competition with the U.S. and signaling an operational readiness for intensified strategic concepts. China’s arsenal, composed of various nuclear warheads, can be launched from a range of platforms, including submarines, ground-mobile systems, and aircraft. The DIA report also notes that China is building additional facilities for the production of fissile materials to further scale up its nuclear arsenal.

The report suggests that China remains committed to a “no first use” nuclear policy—meaning it would only launch a nuclear strike in retaliation. However, China’s “launch-on-warning” policy enables it to strike back preemptively if it detects an incoming attack.

“China is fielding new nuclear capabilities at a faster pace than at any time in its history,” the DIA report reads, emphasizing the military’s objective to achieve parity with the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Despite Beijing’s statements about maintaining a defensive posture, the Pentagon warns that China’s rapid nuclear advancements could lead to an increased risk of miscalculation.

The Pentagon report highlights China’s growing capability and confidence, suggesting that Beijing’s bolstered nuclear deterrence over the next decade could embolden its leaders. This, in turn, increases the risk of miscalculations and escalations as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) builds up the capability to counter the U.S. across various domains.

A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. downplayed concerns, pointing to America’s extensive nuclear arsenal as a primary security risk. “China is committed to a defensive nuclear strategy and a policy of ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons and keeps our nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required by national security,” the spokesperson told the DCNF.

The report also reflects a lack of transparency in U.S.-China relations, with military talks largely suspended since 2022 and only resuming recently. This limited communication between the nations further fuels apprehension within the international community.

China’s nuclear expansion aligns with its broader military ambitions under President Xi Jinping, who has ordered the PLA to be prepared for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Although the U.S. maintains a “strategic ambiguity” policy toward Taiwan—meaning it does not disclose how it would respond to a Chinese invasion—the potential for conflict has heightened as China’s military power grows.

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