Oregon
Oregon Democrats walk out as Trump says ‘America is back’ in joint address
President Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed Congress in his first primetime speech of his second term, saying “America is back” while touting his administration’s efforts, even as Democrats became so incensed that some walked out the door.
Trump sought to portray a nation in the midst of a dramatic comeback, saying illegal immigration is dropping as his administration fights back against a “woke” agenda from Democrats.
“The American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, multiple members of Oregon’s congressional delegation were among those who walked out as the party pushed back against the president, his cabinet and Elon Musk, the billionaire leader of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting effort called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Like many states across the country, Oregon has seen packed town halls and large protests in the wake of Trump’s first month in office. The upheaval has come in response to a variety of Trump’s policies, from immigration to foreign policy to shrinking the federal workforce.
Here are some highlights from Trump’s joint address.
Trump touts tariffs
On Tuesday, Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. The countries collectively import billions of dollars of goods to Oregon, including furniture from China and fertilizer from Canada Many economists have warned that the nation is nearing a trade war that could rock the state’s economy.
In his speech, Trump said the aggressive use of tariffs will enrich America and curb illegal border crossings. But on Tuesday, stocks tumbled on Wall Street and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the tariffs “very dumb” while promising a 25% retaliatory tariff.
Trump promised during his speech that he will push back, saying: “Whatever they tax us, we will tax them.”
During Trump’s address, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, said on the social media platform X: “Candidate Trump promised to lower prices, but President Trump’s reckless blanket tariffs will RAISE prices even higher for families in Oregon and across the country. This is Trumpflation at work!”
Oregon Democrats walk out
Some Democrats turned their backs on the president during his speech, held up signs criticizing the administration and eventually walked out of the chamber.
Among them were U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter, both from Oregon. Salinas tweeted Tuesday night that she decided to leave “rather than listen to more false promises from a wannabe dictator.”
Oregon House Democratic members Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter walk out as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
“Tonight, President Trump spewed more lies and continued to ignore the reality that his policies are hurting working families – not helping them,” said Salinas, who was just elected to her second term in November.
Oregon Democrats have voiced concerns about a variety of ways the administration’s policies are impacting the state.
So far, wildfire research has been paused, and funds for local transportation and housing projects are in limbo. Meanwhile, mass firings have hit regional employers such as the U.S. Forest Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bonneville Power Administration.
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Happy Valley Democrat, stayed in the Capitol chamber on Tuesday, said spokesman Koray Rosati.
He said Bynum “stayed to hold Trump accountable to people like her guest Liz Crandall,” a former Forest Service employee from Bend. Crandall was one of at least 16 Deschutes National Forest staffers fired in recent weeks amid cost cutting efforts by DOGE.
“I think the message is getting through that people are pretty irritated and frustrated by these terminations and these losses in their community,” Bynum said in a call with reporters earlier Tuesday.
Bynum added: “We in Oregon absolutely need every wildfire fighting resource that we can possibly get. This is not small peanuts for us. This is life or death.”
Lori Chavez-DeRemer appears in front row
Bynum’s longtime political opponent had a front row seat on Tuesday.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican who lost her congressional reelection bid to Bynum in November, was sitting in the front row during Trump’s address, beside other members of the president’s cabinet.
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, nominated for labor secretary, was sitting in the front row (far left) during Trump’s address, beside other members of the president’s cabinet.
Mandel Ngan / AP
Trump nominated Chavez-DeRemer for the job of labor secretary in November. A Senate committee voted last week to advance her to a full Senate vote, but she has not yet been confirmed.
Chavez-DeRemer has portrayed herself as a political moderate, noting that she has support from both large business groups and unions. While her support of union-friendly policies drew pushback from some Republicans, three Democrats on the committee who weighed her nomination approved her.
On Tuesday, Chavez-DeRemer — who endorsed Trump in the November election — sat next to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who ran for president and was recently confirmed to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Wyden skips address
Rather than attend Trump’s joint address to Congress, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden held a virtual town hall. More than 4,000 people attended the virtual meeting, which Wyden co-hosted with People’s Town Hall, a community organization. He answered several questions that were submitted from thousands of constituents across Oregon.
Wyden, the state’s senior senator, told the virtual audience Tuesday that he decided to host the town hall as an alternative to Trump’s address.
“It just seems to be that our version of alternative programming is going to give Oregonians the chance to lay out the true state of the union,” Wyden said at the town hall. “We’re a union that’s worried about the cost of groceries, gas and electric bills and Donald Trump and Elon Musk don’t seem to know much about those issues.”
Wyden answered questions from residents concerned about a number of issues including potentially losing Medicaid, which many in Oregon receive through the Oregon Health Plan, as Musk and DOGE continue to search for places to slash federal spending.
Wyden said he would continue to push back against Trump and DOGE on any potential cuts to Medicaid.
The Oregon Ducks are set for one of the biggest timelines of their recruiting cycle, as many top targets are nearing commitments. This time around, the Ducks have a ton of top targets still remaining on their board compared to past seasons, as the Ducks have eight total commitments at this time.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff still need to land a safety commitment, but three-star safety Elijah Butler out of Maryland recently included the Ducks in his final six schools.
Oregon Target Elijah Butler Makes Exciting Recruiting Announcement
Butler announced his top six schools ahead of a crucial part of his recruitment, according to a graphic by Leyton Roberts. The Ducks made the cut alongside the Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Tech Hokies, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The talented prospect would be a great addition for any of these teams, as they could all use a safety prospect at this point in the recruiting timeline.
Butler is from the state of Maryland, which makes the Terrapins one to watch.
It is also worth noting that he has been labeled as one of the best players in the state of Maryland, as he currently ranks as the state’s No. 9 prospect, according to Rivals. This is important as the Terrapins have always made solid attempts to land their in-state stars, including last season when they landed one of the better players in the state’s history, Zion Elee.
As of now, the prospect hasn’t been predicted to land with any of these schools, which means it is likely still a tight race entering the official visit schedule. He has yet to schedule an official visit with all of the schools he has listed in his top six, as he is still missing three key official visits. Butler has scheduled official visits with Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, according to 247Sports. This means he still needs to set one with Oregon, Virginia Tech, and Maryland if he wants to take one to each school.
If the Ducks are able to get Butler on a visit, then they would likely be in a more favorable position to land his commitment, as it currently. seems they are one of the trailing teams from this list. It seems highly unlikely that the Ducks will gain his commitment unless they get him on an official visit, which is still possible at this point, as plenty of top prospects across the nation are still scheduling their official visits.
As of now, the Ducks have 27 prospects set to take an official visit, according to 247Sports. Among all of the prospects who have scheduled a visit thus far, only one of the players is listed as a safety. That player is a three-star target, Junior Tu’upo. This leads one to believe that the Ducks could try to get Butler on a visit, or at a minimum, pitch their program to the prospect from St Frances Academy.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
BLUE RIVER, Ore. (KATU) — The founder of a former disaster relief nonprofit is being sued for allegedly diverting nearly $837,000 in donations and grants for personal gain.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed the lawsuit Thursday against the founder and executive director of Cascade Relief Team (CRT), Marcus Brooks. In the complaint, Rayfield calls CRT “a sham.”
Brooks is accused of stealing donations and government grants meant for disaster relief following wildfires and flooding in 2020, and using it for personal expenses including casino visits, travel, vehicles, and more.
CRT was founded in 2020 and was hired for cleanup and relief services following the Labor Day Wildfires that burned over 1 million acres across Oregon.
In Blue River, an unincorporated community in the McKenzie River Valley, the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire destroyed nearly 800 homes and burned more than 173,000 acres.
I am angry that my community was taken advantage of
Just months after the fire, long-time Blue River resident Melanie Stanley said CRT stepped in and promised help to the community.
“For us, it was…like a savior at that point,” Stanley said.
Stanley was the manager for the Blue River Resource Center and worked for Brooks to help facilitate recovery efforts. She said CRT operations slowly became questionable.
“None of us knew the level at which all of this stuff that finally came out was at,” Stanley said. “We knew that there was some stuff that had started to look hinky or feel hinky, or there was just some lack of communication that was happening. There were some other things that were happening, and so we just all were kind of guarded.”
In fall of 2023 the nonprofit was reported to have run out of money, and Brooks allegedly fired staff without disclosing the organization’s financial conditions and did not notify donors or beneficiaries. Stanley was one of those people fired.
The state now claims the funds that were meant to go towards communities like Blue River, never made it out of Brooks’ hands, including donations given by Blue River neighbors.
“I am angry that my community was taken advantage of, and I am angry that they now have to worry about trusting when something else happens, because we know something else is going to happen,” Stanley said. “We hope to God it’s never anything as big or as bad as what has happened, but you know, we also have learned that groups like Locals Helping Locals…they are our foundation, and they are because they’re us.”
The state is seeking to recover the money, permanently bar Brooks from serving in a leadership role at a charitable organization and dissolve the nonprofit.
Stanley said Brooks’ actions have tainted reputations.
“We as a community and as the people from the community who helped kind of put all of these things together, we did what was asked of us,” Stanley said. “We did help clean things, and we did help get things to provide, you know, more progress and get things moving forward, and we did good work, and so I just really hope that this is not overshadowed.”
According to Stanley, Blue River’s recovery now stands at 50%.
“We will be very picky from here on out about who and what groups gets let in to help with anything,” Stanley said. “And sadly, it may be to our detriment, but he did more damage now, as far as reputations go, and for that I’m angry. I’m very angry.”
-
Alaska1 minute agoInside Alaska’s craft beer scene
-
Arizona7 minutes ago2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals
-
Arkansas13 minutes agoTST Images: Tulsa Drillers defeat the Arkansas Travelers, 11-3, in Tulsa
-
California19 minutes agoCalifornia lawmaker introduces bill to protect wildlife from euthanasia, create coexistence program
-
Colorado25 minutes agoThornton marks 70 years: Exhibit traces Colorado city’s roots from developer’s dream to thriving suburb
-
Connecticut31 minutes ago
Marylin A. Shields Obituary
-
Delaware37 minutes agoDelaware Lottery Powerball, Play 3 Day winning numbers for April 20, 2026 – AOL
-
Florida43 minutes agoFlorida wildfire strands Amtrak passengers for over 24 hours
