PORTLAND, Ore. — In Tuesday night’s debate against former Vice President Joe Biden, President Donald Trump said he had received the endorsement of the sheriff in Portland, Oregon.

What You Need To Know

  • President Trump said during Tuesday's debate that Portland's sheriff endorsed his re-election bid

  • But Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese tweeted that he does not support the president

  • Reese added that Trump has made his job more difficult since he began talking about Portland

The sheriff, however, quickly took to Twitter to say that wasn’t true.

Trump made the comment during a portion of the debate dedicated to law and order. The president listed the endorsements he’s received from law-enforcement groups and officials. 

“I have Florida, I have Texas, I have Ohio,” he said. “Excuse me, Portland – the sheriff there just came out today and said, ‘I support President Trump.’”

Portland itself does not have a sheriff, but Mike Reese is the sheriff of Multnomah County, which includes Portland. 

“In tonight’s presidential debate the President said the ‘Portland Sheriff’ supports him,” Reese wrote. “As the Multnomah County Sheriff I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him.”

Reese added, “Donald Trump has made my job a hell of a lot harder since he started talking about Portland.”

Portland has been the site of racial justice protests since May, following the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The demonstrations at times have seen rioting and clashes with police and counterprotesters. 

Trump has used such protests to cast Democratic mayors and governors as helpless to end the violence. During the debate, he claimed he could end the protests in Portland “in 30 minutes” if state and local leaders asked the federal government to send in the National Guard.

Biden said state and local leaders “can in fact take care of it if he’d just stay out of the way.” The former vice president also said, if he were elected, he’d bring law-enforcement officials and civil-rights activists to the table to address the racial issues behind the unrest.