Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act in Minnesota: what it means | Donald Trump News

US President Donald Trump has warned that he may invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy US troops to Minnesota if state officials do not work to quell protests against federal immigration authorities, who he says are “just trying to do their job”.

The warning comes at a time when widespread protests and political tensions have gripped Minneapolis — Minnesota’s largest city — following two recent shootings involving federal immigration agents. These include the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, 37, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

Here’s what we know:

What did Donald Trump say?

On Thursday, Trump threatened in a social media post that he could use the Insurrection Act to suppress protesters in Minnesota.

“If Minnesota’s corrupt politicians do not obey the law and stop professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking ICE Patriots, who are only trying to do their jobs, I will enact the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Following the release, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump alone would decide if and when to invoke the centuries-old law.

“It’s just a question…the president can answer it, but the Insurrection Act is a tool at the president’s disposal,” Leavitt said.

“I think the President’s Truth Social message speaks loud and clear to Democrats across the country, to elected officials who use their platforms to encourage violence against federal law enforcement officers, who encourage left-wing agitators to illegally obstruct legitimate law enforcement operations,” she added.

Democrats, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and members of the state’s Congress, have pushed back against accusations from the Trump administration and its Republican allies that they provoked anti-ICE protesters.

Instead, they criticized the behavior of ICE agents and accused the Trump administration of using law enforcement to sow chaos and violence in Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said she discussed the possibility of using the Insurrection Act with the president.

“He certainly has the constitutional authority to use that,” Noem told reporters outside the White House.

What is the Insurrection Act of 1807 and what is it for?

The Insurrection Act is an 1807 law that allows a U.S. president to deploy federal military troops domestically to restore order and enforce the law.

When the law is invoked, it temporarily overrides another rule that normally prevents the military from enforcing civilian law. A president can use it if he decides that unrest or rebellion makes law enforcement through ordinary courts and police impossible.

The law does not clearly define what constitutes an “insurrection” or “rebellion.” In an 1827 ruling, the United States Supreme Court declared that the president had sole authority to decide when the law would apply.

Legal experts say the insurrection law is meant to be used only in extreme situations, when normal law enforcement has failed.

It has been used 30 times in U.S. history, including to enforce school desegregation in the 1950s and 1960s, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

The last time it was used was during the Los Angeles riots in 1992, following the acquittal of police officers who beat Rodney King, a black man. Republican George HW Bush was president at the time.

However, this is not the first time Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act.

Last July, when the courts blocked the president’s attempts to deploy the National Guard to Portland, Trump threatened to use the Insurrection Act to circumvent legal challenges.

What is the Minnesota government’s reaction?

Minnesota Governor Walz urged President Trump to tone down his rhetoric and reduce tensions in the state.

“I’m making a direct appeal to the president: let’s lower the temperature. Let’s stop this campaign of retaliation. That’s not who we are.”

And he added a message to Minnesotans. “I know it’s scary. We can – we must – speak out loud, urgently, but also peacefully. We can’t fan the flames of chaos. That’s what he wants,” Walz posted on X.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey wrote on

On Wednesday evening, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Walz and Frey, both Democrats, should be arrested in the face of “terrorism.”

“The Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting,” Blanche posted on

What happened in the state and how did we get here?

Protests and unrest began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a fatal shooting by a federal immigration agent earlier this month.

On January 7, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, 37, as she sat in her car during a federal immigration clearance.

Federal authorities said the officer acted in self-defense, saying Good used his vehicle as a weapon.

City leaders said Good, an award-winning poet, was present as a legal observer monitoring ICE activities. His death sparked vigils and protests, with demonstrators accusing federal agents of using excessive force.

The shooting occurred during a sweeping federal immigration crackdown that brought a heavy law enforcement presence to the Twin Cities, a Minnesota metropolitan area centered around its two largest cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, said residents reported aggressive tactics such as masked officers stopping vehicles and arresting people. Federal officials have denied any wrongdoing.

The protests gained national attention and days later, actors Mark Ruffalo and Wanda Sykes wore badges referencing the deaths of ICE and Good at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on January 11.

“This is for Renée Nicole Good, who was murdered,” Ruffalo told local media, referring to her “BE GOOD” pin.

Tensions further escalated on January 14, when another federal agent shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national without legal status, in the leg during a traffic stop.

DHS said the officer was attempting a targeted arrest when Sosa-Celis and two other men attacked him with a shovel and broom handle.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the officer feared for his life and fired his weapon. The officer and Sosa-Celis were taken to hospital and are out of danger.

Later that night, protesters clashed with police in parts of Minneapolis. Police used tear gas, while a number of protesters threw stones and fireworks.

What do Americans think of these recent events?

Vice President JD Vance said Good’s death was “a tragedy of her own making,” but polls suggest many Americans disagree.

A Yahoo/YouGov poll of 1,709 American adults conducted between January 8 and 12 found that only 27% of respondents believe the shooting was justified. In contrast, 52 percent said it was not justified.

Public concern goes beyond this single incident.

Separate polls show that many Americans think Trump is going too far in his use of presidential power. An AP-NORC poll finds that 62% of Americans believe Trump has overstepped his authority in pursuing his goals.

This view extends to several policy areas, including the use of federal laws, tariffs, and foreign policy.

On the specific issue of deploying federal forces to Minnesota, another YouGov poll found more opposition than support, with 51 percent opposing and 34 percent in favor. Support was highest among Republicans, while most Democrats and independents opposed the move.