The U.S. Army has placed about 1,500 active-duty soldiers on standby for possible deployment to Minnesota, a precautionary step following unrest in the Twin Cities, defense officials said.
The troops, two infantry battalions from the 11th Airborne Division based at Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, have received prepare-to-deploy orders. Officials emphasized the alert is a contingency measure and said the military is positioning forces in case President Donald Trump issues further direction.
The soldiers are trained for cold-weather operations and are part of the Army’s rapid-response capabilities, making them well suited to confront subfreezing conditions thousands of miles away.
Insurrection Act remains an option
Their standby status followed Trump’s suggestions last week that he could invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, a rarely used law that allows the president to deploy active-duty troops for domestic law enforcement. (RELATED: Tim Walz Makes Direct Appeal To Trump After Insurrection Act Threat)
Before departing for Palm Beach on Friday, Trump told reporters at the White House there was no reason “right now” to invoke the act but reiterated that he could do so if conditions worsen, leaving the possibility of military involvement open.
If deployed, the troops would likely assist federal law enforcement or conduct crowd control duties amid ongoing protests.
Protests follow fatal ICE shooting
The Pentagon’s preparations follow days of unrest in the Twin Cities after the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. The incident sparked widespread demonstrations and criticism from local and state leaders.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has urged calm and de-escalation and has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard, though guard members have not yet been deployed to city streets. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has rejected the idea of using active-duty soldiers, calling it unconstitutional and unnecessary. (RELATED: Report: DOJ Targets Walz, Frey In Criminal Probe Over ICE Crackdown Fallout)
State officials say local police and National Guard resources are sufficient to maintain public safety.
Pentagon calls move routine
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to confirm details of the standby order but said the military “is always prepared to execute the orders of the commander in chief if called upon.”
Defense officials stressed that the alert does not mean troops will be deployed and described it as standard contingency planning.
The Trump administration has already deployed roughly 3,000 ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents to the region.
Legal fight underway
At the same time, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Metro Surge, intensifying tensions as federal agents remain in the Twin Cities amid ongoing protests.
READ NEXT: Trump Floats Deporting Sitting Congresswoman
Sponsored
George Soros is pouring billions into America to push radical, anti-American ideas and undermine our rule of law. His influence has fueled soft-on-crime prosecutors, drug chaos, and a generation being taught to hate this country. Hungary passed a “Stop Soros” law to fight back. Congress must do the same — NOW. Sign the petition to protect America before it’s too late.
So the Somali coverup of the stolen now 18 BILLION dollars continues.