Experts in constitutional law and the military say the Insurrection Act gives presidents tremendous power with few restraints. Recent statements by former President Donald Trump raise questions about how he might use it if he wins another term.

Campaigning in Iowa this year, Donald Trump said he was prevented during his presidency from using the military to quell violence in primarily Democratic cities and states.

Calling New York City and Chicago “crime dens,” the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination told his audience, “The next time, I’m not waiting. One of the things I did was let them run it and we’re going to show how bad a job they do,” he said. “Well, we did that. We don’t have to wait any longer.”

Trump has not spelled out precisely how he might use the military during a second term, although he and his advisers have suggested they would have wide latitude to call up units. While deploying the military regularly within the country’s borders would be a departure from tradition, the former president already has signaled an aggressive agenda if he wins, from mass deportations to travel bans imposed on certain Muslim-majority countries.

A law first crafted in the nation’s infancy would give Trump as commander in chief almost unfettered power to do so, military and legal experts said in a series of interviews.

  • RedditReject@lemmy.world
    321·
    11 months ago

    They shouldn’t treat him as a serious candidate. All they should do is keep repeating how he was held liable for sexual assault, how his business is being taken apart for fraud, and all the other crimes. Instead, they act like he has real policy ideas and it normalizes the extremism

    • RaoulDook@lemmy.worldEnglish
      161·
      11 months ago

      Trump seems to be forgetting that he tried that already during the BLM protests and the Joint Chiefs of the military shut it down. They wrote a letter to the President and the Public stating that all branches of the US military support the right of US citizens to protest.

      Then later on, during the beginning of the Big Lie about the 2020 election the Joint Chiefs once again made a statement that Joe Biden won the election and would be Commander in Chief of the military upon his inauguration.

      When those 2 statements happened I recognized the historic significance of their actions. The Joint Chiefs were acting as an unofficial 4th branch of our government for the purpose of another set of checks and balances. Basically when the shit gets fucked up enough the military steps up and reminds us of their oath to uphold the Constitution against anybody and everybody, including the President. I was proud to be an American when I saw that.

      • spaceghoti@lemmy.oneEnglish
        171·
        11 months ago

        Enter Tom Tuberville blocking military promotions in preparation for Project 2025, where they put loyalists in key positions in government and the military who will do what they’re told whatever the Constitution has to say about it.

        • Fredselfish@lemmy.world
          2·
          11 months ago

          Exactly when he takes office they will ram through nominations and bam he got his willing army. Get ready if he wins that the end of democracy.

    • triptrapper@lemmy.world
      131·
      11 months ago

      It’s maddening. They’re doing exactly what they did in 2015. Stop repeating anything he says.