Pentagon reportedly ordered 1,500 soldiers to prepare for potential deployment to Minnesota amid escalating ICE protests.
Trump Threatens Military Force in Minnesota
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday, January 15, that if Minnesota politicians fail to stop protesters, he will invoke a law allowing him to use military force on U.S. soil during riots. The White House stated that the department “is typically prepared for any decision the president may or may not make.” National Security Secretary Kristi Noem declined to comment on whether the president would follow through on this threat.
Escalating Tensions in Minnesota
The protests in Minneapolis target actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Tensions heightened after an ICE agent fatally shot American citizen Renee Good. A small group of right-wing activists had planned a march through an immigrant neighborhood, but hundreds of ICE protesters reportedly drove them away, carrying banners and chanting slogans demanding immigration officials leave Minneapolis.
Trump Praises ICE Actions
In a Sunday post, Trump praised ICE officials’ work and expressed surprise at Minnesota’s resistance. “ICE removes some of the world’s most brutal criminals from our country and sends them back home where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to settle in their community? Among the protesting rioters are many highly paid, professional agitators and anarchists,” the president wrote.
