President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Thursday morning to warn that he’ll invoke the Insurrection Act if people in Minnesota don’t stop attacking federal agents. In his message posted just after 8 a.m. Eastern, the president laid the blame on “corrupt politicians of Minnesota” for not stopping “professional agitators.”
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” he wrote, finishing up with his now-signature “Thank you for you[r] attention to this matter! President DJT.”
The warning follows a day after the second ICE-involved shooting in the state and amid the investigation of widespread fraud between the state government and Somali immigrant-run businesses that seem to be funneling money into terrorist organizations.
The Insurrection Act of 1807 – which is actually an amalgamation of laws dating back to the Calling Forth Act of 1792 – allows the president to deploy the military to suppress rebellions and enforce federal laws. If invoked, Trump would likely federalize the National Guard and deploy troops to restore order in Minnesota. It would temporarily override the Posse Comitatus Act, which normally restricts the use of the military for domestic law enforcement.
In the 233 years since that first version was enacted, it has only been invoked in response to 30 crises. The last time it was invoked – though multiple presidents have threatened or at least considered using it since – was during the infamous Los Angeles riots of 1992.
