President Trump is on the cusp of a significant decision in Minneapolis. Chaos is taking over the city after Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz inflamed tensions in the wake of the death of Renee Nicole Good, who attempted to run over an ICE agent with her car and wound up fatally shot as a result. Leftist activists, egged on by local leaders, have torched hotels, vandalized property, stormed churches, and launched even more attacks on ICE agents. Meanwhile, a mass exodus of police only compounds the situation. Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy the military to restore order, but he has yet to do so.
So, how close is the president to pulling the trigger on the Insurrection Act?
Katie Pavlich spoke with Trump on this very issue on her new NewsNation show and asked him point-blank about his intentions.
“The Insurrection Act would allow you — requires essentially that if federal law cannot be enforced, that you can invoke it and it would allow it to be enforced,” she noted. “So, where are you with that threat, and do you still think it’s necessary?”
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“I don’t think it is yet. It might be at some point,” Trump replied. He emphasized that the law is far from extraordinary, arguing that its use has been routine throughout American history. “It is actually very common, you know. With me, they’ll make it like a big deal, but, uh, it’s been used by over 40% of the presidents during their term,” he said.
Trump’s point is correct. According to Britannica, the Insurrection Act has been invoked more than 30 times since 1807. From the examples listed, 15 presidents have used it: Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, Arthur, Cleveland, Wilson, Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. Grant alone accounts for ten invocations, Cleveland for four, Johnson for five, Kennedy for three, Hayes and George H.W. Bush for two each, and several others for single uses. Though by my math, it’s closer to a third of presidents, not 40%.
Trump added that he would not hesitate if circumstances demanded it. “It’s something I would have no problem doing if I think we needed it.”
He returned repeatedly to the idea that past administrations have normalized the use of the Insurrection Act. “Some presidents used it, actually, many times, and it does make life a lot easier,” Trump said, noting that it streamlines enforcement. “Uh, you don’t go through the court system, you don’t… And you know, it’s just a much easier thing to do.”
Katie Pavlich just asked President Trump about the Insurrection Act and whether he’d use it in Minnesota.
His answer left no room for doubt about his willingness to act if necessary.
PAVLICH: “The Insurrection Act would allow you — requires essentially that if federal law… pic.twitter.com/G0Wd2rVOMN
— Overton (@overton_news) January 21, 2026
For now, Trump said the threshold has not been met, and he hinted he doesn’t actually want to use it. “But I don’t think we need it, uh, at this point, and hopefully we won’t need it,” he said. He did, however, leave the door open to future action. “I would not have any problem with invoking it if we needed it.”
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