Schumer: Trump's crackdown on cities 'despicable'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says President Donald Trump's deployment of federal agents into Portland is "a despicable" diversion and it "will backfire on him."

The New York Democrat told reporters at a briefing Tuesday that the move is like one out of a "third world despotic country."

"You pick up someone, no identification, drag him somewhere and he doesn't even know or she doesn't even know what's doing," Schumer said.

He also added that it's "typical of Trump" to try such a diversion. "He can't solve the COVID crisis. Testing is a mess. The whole country realizes he's an abject failure. So he tries to do a diversionary thing," Schumer said.

Trump deployed federal law enforcement agents to Portland in early July to quell violent demonstrations that he said were fueled by “anarchists and agitators.”

But the presence of the federal officers has only increased tensions and unrest, with daily clashes growing between protesters and the agents.

Schumer said Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley will introduce legislation that a number of members of the Democratic caucus support which will limit the ability of the federal government to operate in U.S. cities unless on federal property.