Trump hints at invoking Insurrection Act as LA protest turns violent

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 11, 2025 00:53 IST

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act -- a rarely used and controversial law that allows domestic deployment of the US military -- if unrest continues in Los Angeles, where protests have erupted over his immigration enforcement.

"If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, defending his decision to send thousands of Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of LA. "Last night was terrible, and the night before that was terrible," Trump said.

The federal response, which includes a $134 million deployment cost, has drawn fierce criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Newsom accused the president of overstepping legal authority and turning troops into political pawns. "It’s a blatant abuse of power," Newsom posted on X.

The clash between state and federal leaders intensified after Trump deployed troops without Newsom’s consent -- the first such move in decades -- prompting a lawsuit from California. Trump, however, doubled down, claiming the city would be “burning” without federal intervention.

"They will stay until there’s no danger," Trump said of the troops. "We’re not going to let these places turn into lawless zones."

However, city officials said most of the demonstrations have been peaceful. Mayor Bass confirmed more than 100 arrests but said, "ANYONE who vandalised or looted does not care about our immigrant communities."

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed further raids, fuelling protest momentum nationwide. Demonstrators in LA and other cities continue to rally outside detention centres, demanding the release of immigrants and denouncing federal crackdowns.

With inputs from Reuters