Last weekend, in a crowded public setting, high-ranking Trump administration officials reportedly exchanged messages about potentially deploying the Army’s 82nd Airborne, a division historically sent into combat in both World Wars, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Ultimately, the administration opted to deploy 200 federalized National Guard troops to Portland rather than active-duty Army forces. The state of Oregon and the city of Portland have filed suit in federal court seeking to block that deployment. Over dozens of messages, Salisbury spoke candidly, sometimes profanely, with Hegseth’s adviser, Patrick Weaver, and other officials, claiming that Hegseth wanted Trump’s explicit approval before sending troops into the city. He recognized the political risks of sending Army troops to a U.S. city, adding that Hegseth preferred deploying the National Guard instead.