Politics
NEW: Trump Threatens Minnesota Rioters With 19th-Century Law
President Donald Trump warned he may invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. military forces into Minnesota as violent protests flare around federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
The Insurrection Act allows a president to send military troops onto U.S. soil to restore order during civil unrest. It was first used by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807 to stop an attempt to break off part of the American West and was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Trump issued the warning as clashes between federal agents and demonstrators intensified following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer last week.
“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 on Truth Social.
“Many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” he added.
The threat came after a separate confrontation Wednesday night in Minneapolis in which a Venezuelan man allegedly attacked a federal immigration officer during a traffic stop.
The Department of Homeland Security said two individuals assaulted the agent with a broomstick and a snow shovel as he attempted to take the Venezuelan into custody.
Protests have grown increasingly volatile since Good, 37, was killed Jan. 7 as part of what DHS describes as the largest immigration enforcement surge in the region’s history. Thousands of federal agents have been sent into the Twin Cities, and nightly standoffs have erupted in multiple neighborhoods.
Federal officers have used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to push back crowds, while demonstrators have fired fireworks and thrown objects at agents. Officers have also pulled people from vehicles and made arrests in the streets and outside homes.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the situation was not “sustainable,” while Gov. Tim Walz blasted the federal operation, calling it an “occupation” and accusing agents of “kidnapping people for no reason.”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche fired back, accusing state and city leaders of fueling unrest.
“It’s disgusting. Walz and Frey — I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It’s a promise,” Blanche wrote on X.
ICE operates in thousands of counties without incident. Men and women doing their jobs, protecting us from criminal aliens.
Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting.
Walz… https://t.co/govuUtcDVN
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) January 15, 2026
Donald Trump has not said whether he would federalize the Minnesota National Guard or send active-duty Army units if he moves forward with the Insurrection Act. The president previously threatened to use the law during nationwide riots last year but did not ultimately deploy troops.
The White House has defended ICE operations in Minnesota, saying agents are targeting criminal networks tied to fraud, human trafficking and illegal immigration.
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