Trump on Los Angeles protests: Insurrection Act possible

Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump threatened, on Tuesday, to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to growing protests in Los Angeles sparked by his administration’s immigration crackdown.

The unrest followed ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants. Tensions escalated after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines—moves opposed by California’s governor and Los Angeles’ mayor. Protesters accused the federal government of violating human rights and undermining the city’s sanctuary status.

At a White House briefing, Trump was asked if he planned to activate the Insurrection Act of 1792, which allows the president to deploy active-duty troops when local authorities fail to maintain order. “If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it,” he said, adding that parts of Los Angeles already appeared to meet that threshold.

The Defense Department confirmed the troop surge earlier today, describing it as a response to unrest triggered by immigration enforcement. The military presence has fueled fears of potential clashes between federal forces and residents opposed to the crackdown.

Trump later defended the move on Truth Social, writing, “If I didn’t SEND IN THE TROOPS the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now.”