20 MINUTES AGO President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act allowing him to deploy troops as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement persist in Minneapolis.

TRUMP RATTLES INSURRECTION ACT AS ICE PROTESTS ROIL MINNEAPOLIS

President Donald Trump escalated tensions Thursday by threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law that would allow him to deploy U.S. troops on American soil, as protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continued to surge in Minneapolis.

Standing before reporters, Trump warned that if demonstrations he described as “out of control” are not contained, he is prepared to take extraordinary action. “We will not allow violent mobs to overrun our cities,” the president said, signaling that federal force could be used if local and state authorities fail to restore order.

The threat comes amid days of unrest sparked by aggressive ICE operations in the Twin Cities, which have drawn thousands of protesters into the streets. Demonstrators have condemned what they call heavy-handed federal tactics, alleging unconstitutional detentions, unlawful use of force, and a climate of fear in immigrant communities. While many gatherings have remained peaceful, clashes between protesters and law enforcement have intensified public scrutiny and political pressure.

The Insurrection Act, enacted in 1807, grants the president sweeping authority to deploy the military domestically in cases of rebellion or when civil authorities are deemed unable or unwilling to protect constitutional rights. Its potential use has long been controversial, and Trump’s comments immediately triggered alarm among civil liberties groups and Democratic leaders, who accused him of threatening to militarize dissent.

Minnesota officials pushed back sharply. State and city leaders argued that invoking the Act would inflame an already volatile situation, not calm it. “This is not a battlefield,” one local official said. “It’s a community demanding accountability.”

The White House, however, framed the protests as a national security issue. Administration officials insisted the president is acting within his constitutional authority to ensure public safety and defend federal officers. Trump allies echoed the message, portraying the unrest as a test of executive resolve and law-and-order leadership.

Legal experts note that while the president has broad discretion under the Insurrection Act, its use would almost certainly prompt immediate court challenges and deepen the constitutional clash between federal power and state sovereignty.

As night fell in Minneapolis, demonstrators remained in the streets, chanting against ICE and denouncing what they view as federal overreach. Whether Trump’s warning proves to be a pressure tactic or the prelude to an unprecedented military deployment now hangs over the city — and the nation — raising the stakes in a confrontation that shows no signs of cooling.