‘A big freaking mistake’: Feds confirm investigation into arrest of reporter Nick Sortor at Portland ICE protest

President Donald Trump holds a press conference with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday, June 27, 2025. (Official White House photo by Molly Riley)

Nicholas Sortor, an independent, on-the-street reporter who has become famous for his documentation of anti-government actions across America, has announced that the Department of Justice has assured him of an investigation into his arrest by Portland police late Thursday.

BREAKING: Attorney General Pam Bondi has ORDERED a full investigation, led by Asst. AG Harmeet Dhillon, of the Portland Police Bureau, following my wrongful arrest last night, Bondi confirmed to me.

FAFO, @PortlandPolice.@AGPamBondi personally called me to deliver this… pic.twitter.com/DBdp9vl5Ka

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 3, 2025

The Washington Examiner said the conservative influencer was arrested late Thursday, then released several hours later, early Friday.

He was accused by local police of “second-degree disorderly conduct” while he was documenting violent protests near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Oregon‘s largest city.

Other reports from the scene at the time said Sortor was defending himself from a woman who attacked him.

“Sortor, a 27-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was arrested alongside two Oregon residents, according to a press release from the city’s police department. All three people were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on the same misdemeanor charge,” the Examiner reported.

But later Sortor confirmed the review of his “wrongful arrest” will be conducted by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.

He said Attorney General Pam Bondi called him personally with the news.

“The Trump DOJ WILL NOT allow Portland Police to continue to do the bidding of Antifa,” he wrote on X, telling Portland police to “f*** around and find out.”

The report said he explained he was recording footage of federal agents macing protesters when he was surrounded and assaulted, forced to defend himself.

“Nick says he swung back and missed, then disengaged and walked over to a group of Portland PD. He says he was then shocked to be arrested by them, and he sat in the back of a police cruiser while officers figured out what to charge him with,” a witness reportd.

Protests in Portland were triggered by the deployment of National Guard troops to crack down on rampant crime there.

The Gateway Pundit commented, “The woman who attacked him was not arrested.”

Hey @PortlandPolice: you made a big freaking mistake.

You PROVED what we’ve all been saying for years: you’re CORRUPT and CONTROLLED by vioIent Antifa thugs who terrorize the streets

You thought arresting me would make me shut up and go away. You couldn’t have been more wrong.… pic.twitter.com/Dz8oJ3V8NP

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 3, 2025

BREAKING: In response to my wrongful arrest in Portland, President Trump has ORDERED his staff to review federal aid to be CUT in the city, per Karoline Leavitt

“We will NOT fund states that allow anarchy!”

This arrest is going to cost Portland leftists DEARLY! pic.twitter.com/ESpB7BwfDV

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 3, 2025

Reminder….

The Antifa thug that punched journalist Katie Daviscourt in the face was not arrested by Portland PD but Journalist Nick Sortor was arrested by Portland PD.

We have a major problem in Portland. pic.twitter.com/sTN49lzvpf

— C3 (@C_3C_3) October 3, 2025

Mostly peaceful: Reporter cuffed when attacked by a protester at Portland’s ICE building

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