❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump mentioned the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act to restore order in Democrat-run cities, especially if courts or local officials delay his plans.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, anti-ICE rioters in Chicago and Portland, and the National Guard.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The discussion took place on Monday in the Oval Office and during a televised interview.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that.” – President Trump
🎯IMPACT: The invocation of the Insurrection Act could circumvent efforts by Democrat lawmakers and federal courts aimed at hampering the protection of federal property and agents targeted by violent far-left rioters.
President Donald J. Trump has indicated he might consider invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, a law that allows the military to engage in civilian law enforcement under specific conditions. The move comes in response to continued and unprecedented interference by federal courts and local officials aimed at hindering his deployment of the National Guard to protect federal property and immigration enforcement agents.
While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office late Monday, Trump stated, “I’d do it if it was necessary. So far it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason.” The America First leader emphasized the need to ensure the safety of cities and prevent loss of life, saying, “If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that. I mean, I want to make sure that people aren’t killed. We have to make sure that our cities are safe.”
Trump’s comments came amid his efforts to address crime in cities run by Democrats, with Portland, Oregon, being a current focal point. A federal judge recently blocked the deployment of federalized National Guard troops in Portland, though the Trump White House is moving to appeal the ruling.
Later on Monday, during a television interview, President Trump doubled down on the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act. “If we don’t have to use it, I wouldn’t use it,” he said, adding, “If you take a look at what’s been going on in Portland, it’s been going on for a long time, and that’s insurrection. I mean, that’s pure insurrection.”
The Insurrection Act was last utilized during the 1992 Los Angeles race riots.
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