President Donald Trump said Monday that he is open to invoking [1] the Insurrection Act to federalize National Guard units in certain states if violence continues to escalate but noted that, so far, doing so has not been necessary.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the president said the option remains on the table to ensure public safety amid rising clashes between protesters and federal immigration authorities in several cities.
“So far, it hasn’t been necessary, but we have an Insurrection Act for a reason. If I had to enact it, I’d do that,” President Trump said when asked under what conditions he would use the 19th-century law.
“If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that,” he continued.
“I mean, I want to make sure that people aren’t killed. We have to make sure that our cities are safe.”
Trump on invoking the insurrection act: If people were being killed, and courts were holding us up or mayors or governors were holding us up, I’d do that pic.twitter.com/g6VUEftqyE [2]
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 6, 2025 [3]
The Insurrection Act, passed in 1807, allows the president to deploy U.S. military forces domestically to restore order during times of civil unrest or insurrection.
The statute has been invoked 30 times in U.S. history, most recently in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush authorized troops to respond to the Los Angeles riots.
President Trump’s comments follow his recent authorization to deploy National Guard units to Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon — two cities that have seen ongoing conflicts between left-wing protesters and immigration enforcement officers.
However, the administration’s attempts to expand those deployments have been slowed by multiple court orders and lawsuits from state officials.
On Sunday, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the deployment of National Guard units to Portland for a second time.
The most recent order affected units from California and Texas, while an earlier ruling had already barred the use of the Oregon National Guard in the city.
In addition to Oregon, the states of California and Illinois have also filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, challenging the legality of federalizing their National Guard members without state approval.
In Illinois, a federal judge gave the administration until Wednesday at midnight to respond to the state’s complaint and scheduled a court hearing for Thursday.
Despite the ongoing legal disputes, President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to improving safety in cities experiencing high levels of violent crime and political unrest.
He cited Washington, D.C., as an example of how coordinated National Guard efforts can restore order and reduce crime.
“We have no choice but to do this,” Trump said, referencing his broader national public safety strategy.
“Portland has been on fire for years.”
The president added that he views ongoing unrest and resistance to federal authority in certain cities as a form of organized lawlessness.
“I think that’s all insurrection. I really think that’s really criminal insurrection,” he said.
Trump on sending troops to Chicago, Portland, and Memphis: “We have no choice but to do this…I think that’s all insurrection. I really think that’s really criminal insurrection.” pic.twitter.com/To3tDeCt0v [4]
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) October 6, 2025 [5]
The White House has identified three cities — Portland, Chicago, and Memphis, Tennessee — as top priorities in its current federal safety initiative.
The plan includes increasing cooperation between federal law enforcement and local agencies to address violent crime and to safeguard federal personnel and property.
President Trump’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between federal officials and Democratic governors who have accused the administration of overreach.
Legal experts expect the current lawsuits to determine how far the federal government can go in asserting control over National Guard deployments within individual states.
As legal proceedings continue, the president has maintained that his administration’s actions are aimed solely at ensuring the safety of American citizens.
“We have to protect people,” he said.
“We can’t allow lawlessness to continue unchecked in our cities.”