Trump rips into Portland mayor, calling him a 'FOOL' and urging the deployment of the National Guard to curb the protests

• President Donald Trump on Sunday called Ted Wheeler, the mayor of Portland, a "fool" on Twitter and urged for at least the second time that the National Guard be deployed to the city.
• Demonstrators against police brutality have been protesting in Portland with most demonstrations remaining peaceful.
• A man was fatally shot in Portland on Saturday, on a night of confrontation between pro-Trump and Black Lives Matter supporters, according to multiple reports.

President Donald Trump on Sunday tore into Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, calling him a "fool" a day after a man was shot dead during a protest.

In recent weeks, Portland has been the site of intense tension between demonstrators and law enforcement officials. The city has seen protests against police brutality since the killing of George Floyd, a Black man killed by police in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. The protests exacerbated following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot seven times by Kenosha, Wisconsin, police in the back.

In a series of tweets, Trump lashed out at the mayor and urged the deployment of the National Guard to the Oregon city.

"The big backlash going on in Portland cannot be unexpected after 95 days of watching and incompetent Mayor admit that he has no idea what he is doing," Trump tweeted. "The people of Portland won't put up with no safety any longer.The Mayor is a FOOL. Bring in the National Guard!"

—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020

Trump had previously threatened to deploy the National Guard to Portland, calling protesters "terrorists." The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

In a fiery letter published Friday, Wheeler, a Democrat, rejected an earlier call for the National Guard from the president, urging instead for Trump to "stay away, please."

"Yet again, you said you offered to aid Portland by sending in federal law enforcement to our city. On behalf of the City of Portland: No thanks," Wheeler wrote in the letter.

"We don't need your politics of division and demagoguery. Portlanders are onto you. We have already seen your reckless disregard for human life in your bumbling response to the COVID pandemic. And we know you've reached the conclusion that images of violence or vandalism are your only ticket to reelection," Wheeler added.

—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020

—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020

The Portland protests have been largely peaceful, but some have resulted in clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officials.