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During a packed briefing Thursday, reporters pressed Leavitt on when Trump might invoke the Insurrection Act, a federal law allowing the president to deploy military force to restore order.
Trump took to Truth Social to warn that federal troops could be deployed to Minnesota if local officials fail to protect ICE agents from violent left-wing agitators.
“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., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump wrote.
The threat followed days of coordinated leftist attacks in Minneapolis.
Federal agents were forced to shoot 37-year-old Renee Good after she allegedly tried to run over ICE officers during an enforcement operation.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called the attack “an attempt to kill or to cause bodily harm to agents, an act of domestic terrorism.”
Just days later, another federal officer was forced to shoot a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in the leg after he and two accomplices attacked the agent with a snow shovel and broom handle.
Left-wing agitators quickly took control of Minneapolis streets, setting up barricades and threatening federal personnel with chants like, “We’re going to f—ing kill you.”
Videos captured protesters surrounding ICE vehicles, hurling snowballs, and issuing death threats while agents tried to remove dangerous criminals from the community.
Leavitt Blasts Democrats for Encouraging Violence
Leavitt didn’t hold back when asked about Trump’s warning to invoke the Insurrection Act.
“It’s truly shameful that now for more than a year, you’ve had elected Democrat governors and mayors who have basically held their state and local law enforcement hostage and told them, you cannot cooperate with federal law enforcement,” she said.
She highlighted the hypocrisy, noting that Democrat officials readily cooperated with federal authorities under President Biden.
“Why? They cooperated under the Biden administration. It’s because these Democrats are deranged in their hatred for President Trump, and they are holding their state and local law enforcement hostage as a result,” Leavitt explained.
Leavitt stressed that the dispute is about public safety, not politics.
“These Democrat mayors and governors are doing this over what? Over the lawful and legitimate law enforcement operations to remove violent criminals from the streets of Minnesota, from the streets of California, from the streets of New York, and from the streets of every state across this country,” she said.
The contrast with states like Florida is clear: Governor Ron DeSantis empowered local and federal authorities to work together, keeping communities safer.
Democrats’ Policies Spark Minneapolis Violence
The Insurrection Act has been used only about 30 times in U.S. history, including during the Civil Rights Movement and the 1992 Los Angeles riots under George H.W. Bush.
Trump’s situation is simpler: Democrats are openly encouraging attacks on federal law enforcement officers attempting to remove criminal illegal immigrants.
Minnesota’s sanctuary city policies block local police from sharing information with ICE about dangerous criminals.
Good was reportedly part of a “broader left-wing network” that monitors federal officers and interferes with enforcement operations, Vice President JD Vance confirmed.
When she tried to run over ICE agents, a federal officer fired in self-defense—a decision Trump showed reporters on video. Yet Democrats now want to prosecute the agent for protecting his life.
Sanctuary Cities Fuel Ongoing Crisis
Sanctuary city battles have intensified since Trump returned to office. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued warnings to multiple Democrat-led states and cities threatening prosecution for refusing cooperation with ICE.
California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington defiantly ignored the warnings. Trump responded by threatening to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities beginning February 1.
Leavitt made clear that the White House sees this as Democrats prioritizing hatred of Trump over the safety of citizens. Federal law enforcement wants to work with local police to remove dangerous criminals, but Democrat politicians are actively standing in the way—and even encouraging violence against ICE agents.
If these elected officials refuse to act, Trump is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act to restore law and order.
