President Donald Trump has issued a stark threat to invoke a rare, centuries-old law to deploy the US military within Minnesota, should state officials fail to quell ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
A Presidential Ultimatum on Social Media
On Thursday morning, 15 January 2026, the president took to his Truth Social platform to deliver an ultimatum. He demanded that Minnesota's "corrupt politicians" stop what he termed "professional agitators and insurrectionists" from attacking ICE personnel, whom he called "Patriots."
"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," Trump wrote. He added that this would "quickly put an end to the travesty" in the state.
Protests and a Federal 'Occupation' in Minneapolis
The threat follows over a week of sustained demonstrations in Minneapolis and other US cities. The protests were initially triggered by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE agent. Authorities claimed the shooting was justified as Good had "weaponised" her vehicle.
Tensions escalated further late on Wednesday after another ICE officer in Minneapolis shot a migrant in the leg during an alleged altercation. In response, the Trump administration has deployed thousands of ICE and Border Patrol officers to the city as part of an operation targeting fraud within the Somali immigrant community and seeking "the worst of the worst" for deportation.
These federal agents have been patrolling streets in unmarked vehicles, a tactic critics condemn as racial profiling. Local leaders, including Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, have denounced the surge as an "occupation" and "state-sanctioned violence."
"It feels like that has been part of the plan of creating this surge so that he could have his authoritarianism be fully carried out," Omar told The Independent. "He’s a wannabe dictator who’s trying to claw as much power as he can."
The Rare and Powerful Insurrection Act
The Insurrection Act of 1807 is a federal statute that permits a president to deploy active-duty military or federalise National Guard troops to suppress civil unrest, insurrection, or rebellion within a state. Its use is exceptionally rare in modern times.
Contrary to Trump's claim that "many" presidents have used it, invocation has been limited to a handful of instances in the last century:
- President George H.W. Bush used it in 1992 to send the 82nd Airborne Division into Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots.
- President Lyndon B. Johnson invoked it in 1967 to deploy paratroopers in Detroit.
- Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower used it to enforce desegregation in Southern schools.
Observers note that while past presidents used the act reluctantly or at a state's request, Trump has openly sought opportunities to use it in Democratic-led areas since his first term, particularly during the 2020 racial justice protests.
Political Reactions and a History of Threats
Following Trump's social media post, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed reporters. She confirmed discussing the act with the president but did not label the Minneapolis unrest an "insurrection." She described it as a "violent violation of the law" and expressed hope Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would cooperate to "get criminals off the streets."
This incident echoes Trump's reported desires during his first term. In 2020, amid protests following the murder of George Floyd, he reportedly told aides he wanted troops to "beat the f**k out" of protesters and "crack skulls," later suggesting they be shot "in the leg."
Since returning to office, he has repeatedly threatened to use the Insurrection Act in cities like Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago. Democratic Representative Kelly Morrison of Minnesota summarised the local sentiment to The Independent: "ICE needs to leave Minnesota."
