Did Antifa firebomb Ice Cube's tour bus? Viral claim explored as Trump orders troops to Portland

On September 23, 2025, the tour bus of rapper and actor Ice Cube caught fire in downtown Portland shortly after his concert at the Moda Center.

The vehicle sustained damage to its front passenger tire, but no one was injured. Since then, a claim has gone viral on social media saying that Antifa activists "firebombed" the tour bus after mistaking it for a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle. However, there is no evidence to support this theory.

After a X user stated that Antifa was behind the incident, speculation quickly spread on social media, stating that activists had mixed up the "ICE" in the rapper Ice Cube's name with the immigration enforcement agency.

🔥🚨BREAKING: Legendary rapper Ice Cube tour bus was bombed by Antifa after they mistook the Hip-Hop legend’s bus for ICE authorities. pic.twitter.com/cKp6YuKXXy

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) September 27, 2025

The story posts of the damaged bus received thousands of interactions with various users even showing support for the conspiracy theory.

Nevertheless, there are no credible or trustworthy news sources, or any official investigations showing a connection between Antifa, or other political organizations to the incident.

Investigators have not provided a list of possible suspects or motives. Observers also note that the bus had “ICE CUBE EVERYTHING’S CORRUPT” written on the side with big lettering.

Therefore, the possibility of confusing a private bus with all the identifying mentions for a government transport vehicle does not seem likely.

Ice Cube addresses the controversy and Donald Trump's response to recent protests

A spokesperson for Portland Fire & Rescue, Rick Graves, stated firefighters responded early Tuesday morning to a fire involving a charter bus at or near Southwest Broadway and Oak Street.

The fire was contained to the front passenger tire and was quickly put out. Officials could not confirm the ownership of the vehicle at the time, but the vehicle was identified shortly thereafter by Ice Cube's publicist as Ice Cube's tour bus.

The performer, presently engaged in his Truth to Power tour, released a message via his team rejecting the notion that he was singled out in the incident. "I’m not taking this incident as a personal attack," he remarked.

"A coward like that would burn anybody’s property that was out there at the time," Ice Cube's representitive added.

The timing of the viral assertion aligned with heightened tensions in Portland, where immigration enforcement facilities have been subjected to multiple protests in recent months, few of which have not turned violent.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, when Trump says ANTIFA, what he really means is Democrats. pic.twitter.com/seNaui39Q0

— Turnbull (@cturnbull1968) September 27, 2025

Federal officials say there have also been incidences of vandalism and violent exchanges between the public and immigration enforcement personnel and others outside ICE centers there.

On September 27, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of troops to Portland, authorizing the “full force” of federal resources to defend ICE facilities from what he referred to as “Antifa and other domestic terrorists.”

Trump’s pronouncement has caused some outrage, with Oregon Governor Tina Kotek denouncing the action as an “abuse of power” and expressing belief that their communities can be safe without the federal government.

The rumors about the firebombing highlights how quickly speculation can intermingle with political tensions, especially in a city like Portland that has remained a site of protests against immigration enforcement.