EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said Tuesday that the past year of legal fights with the Trump administration has tested the state’s readiness — but also reinforced its resolve.
Speaking at a League of Women Voters of Lane County event in Eugene, hours before the president’s State of the Union address, Rayfield outlined what he described as major courtroom victories.
Over the past year, Oregon has successfully challenged federal efforts to deploy the National Guard in the state and to access sensitive voter data, among other actions.
Rayfield, a Democrat elected in 2024, thanked state lawmakers for allowing the Oregon Department of Justice to expand its legal staff in anticipation of renewed legal conflicts with the federal government.
“We knew from the first Trump administration that the things that you say during an election you’re going to follow through with once you’re in office,” Rayfield said. “And we needed to be prepared, and we needed dedicated attorneys and staff ready for that moment. And I wish that we were wrong, but it turns out we were not.”
He described the experience as “building a plane while flying it,” referencing the rapid buildup of legal resources to respond to federal actions.
Rayfield said he hopes future years will not involve the same degree of “stress-testing” of democratic institutions, but emphasized that Oregon intends to remain proactive.
“I don’t want Oregon to just be a ‘me too’ state,” he said. “I believe Oregon has an obligation and a commitment to lead this fight because of who we are.”
At the same time, Rayfield said the department continues to focus on state-level priorities. He noted that Oregon has doubled staffing devoted to consumer protection work to help fill gaps created by federal cuts.
He also said the justice department is looking at ways to support local governments struggling to fund law enforcement amid tight budgets.
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