Trump’s threat to invoke the Insurrection Act signals a drastic escalation in his approach to domestic unrest. He has floated using the law to send troops into cities like Chicago, bypassing states’ leadership if he deems enforcement insufficient.
Already, Texas National Guard troops have arrived near Chicago, as a federal judge declined to block the deployment for now. Meanwhile, in Portland, Trump defied a court ruling by ordering 300 California National Guard guardsmen into Oregon, prompting lawsuits and sharp rebukes from Democratic governors.
Legal scholars warn that such bold use of military force could violate the Posse Comitatus Act and the autonomy of states under the 10th Amendment.