President Donald Trump drew a hard line Thursday, warning that continued attacks on federal agents in Minnesota could trigger one of the most serious domestic authorities a president can invoke: the Insurrection Act. The message, posted on Truth Social, was blunt and unmistakable. If Minnesota’s political leadership refuses to restore order and rein in what Trump called “professional agitators and insurrectionists,” he is prepared to act — forcefully.
Trump’s warning did not come out of thin air. It followed a second ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis in a matter of days, underscoring just how volatile the situation has become. In the latest incident, an ICE agent shot an alleged illegal immigrant in the leg during an arrest attempt.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the agent fired only after the suspect resisted arrest and violently assaulted him, leaving the officer fearing for his life. The suspect is now in custody and reported to be in stable condition, while the agent was hospitalized.
BREAKING: Minneapolis rioters successfully BROKE OPEN a weapons locker in a federal vehicle and STOLE A RIFLE and ammunition before fleeing
I captured the thief’s face and license plate on the getaway vehicle.
PLEASE SHARE and HELP IDENTIFY this POS.
I have forwarded this… pic.twitter.com/7rwfIsN7v6
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 15, 2026
The president’s reference to the Insurrection Act immediately raised alarms on the Left, but the law itself is neither novel nor unprecedented. Passed in 1807, it grants the president authority to deploy military forces domestically to suppress rebellion and enforce federal law when state authorities fail or refuse to do so.
It was last used during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and historically, it has been invoked by presidents of both parties. The act would allow Trump to federalize the National Guard and deploy active-duty forces, temporarily overriding the Posse Comitatus Act’s restrictions on military involvement in law enforcement.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded with a familiar plea to “turn the temperature down,” accusing Trump of pursuing a “campaign of retribution” and urging Minnesotans to protest “loudly, urgently, but also peacefully.” The statement, however, rang hollow to critics who point out that Walz has repeatedly demonized ICE, compared agents to Nazis, and encouraged citizens to “witness” and document federal officers during active operations — rhetoric that federal officials argue has directly contributed to the spike in violence.
TRUMP: “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E…I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT…” pic.twitter.com/B4Hr3pttnc
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 15, 2026
The White House made that argument explicit. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson accused Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and other Democratic leaders of smearing ICE officers and inciting attacks in defense of criminal illegal aliens. She emphasized that ICE arrests in Minnesota have targeted rapists, drug traffickers, and domestic abusers, despite persistent political opposition. From the administration’s perspective, the only apology owed is not from Washington, but from state leaders who have undermined law enforcement while chaos escalated.
