Trump escalates rhetoric, warns of military response in Minnesota

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he could invoke the Insurrection Act to send the military into Minnesota, citing unrest in Minneapolis following demonstrations linked to federal immigration enforcement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused state leaders of failing to stop what he called organized agitators targeting officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and said he would act if conditions did not improve. Minneapolis has become a focal point of protests after an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good last week, according to local officials, and after a Venezuelan man was wounded by federal law enforcement on Thursday.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the state would challenge any use of the 1807 law in court. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as unsustainable and said city leaders were working to maintain order while keeping residents safe. Governor Tim Walz urged restraint, warning against further escalation.

Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of invoking the Insurrection Act during protests tied to his immigration agenda, including during his first term. He renewed the warning after a recent Supreme Court decision limited earlier efforts to deploy National Guard forces to Democratic-led cities.

Federal officials defended their actions. The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that an officer fired in self-defense after being assaulted, and blamed state and city rhetoric for a reported 1,300% rise in assaults on federal officers. Vice President JD Vance said the ICE agent involved in Good’s death was acting within federal authority.

The comments came as U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez prepared to rule on whether to restrict certain ICE tactics during protests, including the use of nonlethal force and arrests near police perimeters. In a separate post, Trump praised the judge for delaying a decision in a broader state lawsuit challenging the federal operation in the Twin Cities.

White House officials have echoed the president’s language in recent days. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller accused Democrats of fueling unrest, while press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Good as obstructing law enforcement. Protests continued Wednesday night, with clashes between demonstrators and federal officers amid tear gas and thrown objects.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent last week and the ongoing protests against ICE activity in the state.