Frank Rondel
President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy the U.S. military in Minneapolis after a second shooting in one week involving a federal officer during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city, reports customreceipt.com with reference to io.com.ua. In a social media post, Trump wrote that if Minnesota politicians do not enforce the law and stop “professional agitators and insurrectionists” from attacking ICE personnel, he would implement the Insurrection Act, citing its historical use by previous presidents to restore order.
Democratic Governor Tim Walz responded by appealing to Trump to reduce the inflammatory rhetoric. “I am making a direct appeal to the President: Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of retribution. This is not who we are. And an appeal to Minnesotans: I know this is scary. We can — we must — speak out loudly, urgently, but also peacefully. We cannot fan the flames of chaos. That’s what he wants,” Walz wrote on X.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of engaging in “terrorism” and said he was focused on stopping them “by whatever means necessary.” Blanche’s post followed a federal officer-involved shooting in which authorities said an individual fled a traffic stop and subsequently attacked the officer alongside two others. Local officials have disputed federal claims regarding the threat posed by the individuals involved.
The incidents come one week after Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during an operation. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Good had attempted to run over law enforcement officers, a characterization challenged by city authorities. Mayor Frey has repeatedly called for ICE to leave Minneapolis, while both he and Governor Walz have urged citizens to maintain peaceful protests despite rising tensions.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told ABC News that there are “no plans to pull out of Minnesota” and confirmed discussions with the president regarding the Insurrection Act, which grants the president authority to deploy the military to suppress insurrections. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the decision to invoke the act rests solely with the president.
The Insurrection Act, originally enacted in 1807, has historically been used in about 30 crises, including the desegregation of schools under Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, and most recently during the 1992 Los Angeles riots under President George H.W. Bush. It authorizes the president to call federal forces into states facing insurrections, either upon request from the governor or the state legislature if it cannot convene.
Several Democrats criticized Trump’s threat. Senator Tim Kaine labeled it an attempt to use the military as “his palace guard,” while Representative Ro Khanna argued it represented an overreach against American citizens. Conversely, House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed support for Trump, citing perceived lawlessness by local and state leaders in Minnesota. Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted the situation could require cooperation between federal and local law enforcement to stabilize conditions.
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