Jan 16, 2026, 9:22 p.mJan 16, 2026, 9:22 p.m
US President Donald Trump currently sees no reason to deploy the military in the state of Minnesota after clashes between demonstrators and federal officials. Only on Thursday did Trump threaten to do so on the basis of the more than 200-year-old Insurrection Act.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump reiterated that he would resort to the law if necessary. “I don’t think there’s any reason to use it at the moment,” he said at the same time.
The law allows the US President, in exceptional cases, to use the military domestically to quell insurrections and participate in law enforcement activities. Under normal circumstances this is not allowed in the USA. When there were protests against his migration policy in Los Angeles in the summer and Trump sent thousands of soldiers to the West Coast metropolis, he did not rule out applying the law.
Tense situation in Minnesota
There are protests in Minnesota against widespread operations by the immigration agency ICE. It is looking for people who are in the USA without legal documents in order to deport them. According to reports, it sometimes acts with excessive severity and also targets US citizens.
The fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis caused criticism and an even more tense situation. According to the official account, she drove her car in the direction of an ICE officer. Videos give the impression that he shot her as her car drove past him. (sda/dpa)