Robert Reich: Today And Forever, No Kings In America – OpEd
With No Kings rallies occurring across America, and the Trump administration’s unhinged reaction to them on full display, it’s never been more important for Congress to reform the Insurrection Act. Please contact Congress and demand action immediately.
Donald Trump — the man who incited a violent insurrection against the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and has pardoned those who attacked our democracy — is now calling peaceful protesters “insurrectionists” and threatening to use military force against them.
The Insurrection Act, a 200-year-old law, gives presidents near-limitless power to deploy troops on U.S. soil with almost no oversight. It was meant for true emergencies. But as written, it’s an open invitation for abuse — allowing any president to send armed forces into American cities under almost any pretext. I fear Trump is about to seize that power.
Nine months into his second term, he’s said he would invoke the Insurrection Act “if I had to” — but he has already said certain states are in “pure insurrection.” He’s sent Marines to Los Angeles and the National Guard to Chicago and Portland. His administration’s rhetoric paints blue states as battlefields and dissent as rebellion.
Trump’s goal isn’t public safety. It’s punishing those who speak out against his regime.
Twenty-four Democratic attorneys general have joined California and Oregon’s lawsuit opposing these deployments, asserting “there is no invasion to repel, no rebellion to suppress.” Calling in troops when state and local law enforcement are fully functional, they say, “sets a chilling precedent that puts the constitutional rights of all Americans at risk.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has called out Trump’s false claims that Chicago and Illinois are “war zones,” noting that neither ranks among the 10 most violent cities or states in the nation.
Trump’s rhetoric doesn’t reflect reality — it’s designed to justify repression.
NBC News reports that Trump’s advisers are already drafting orders to override governors and occupy more Democratic-led cities.
Deploying the U.S. military against civilians isn’t leadership; it’s tyranny. It creates violence where none existed and hurts communities rather than protecting them.
Congress must act now to prevent Trump, or any future president, from misusing the Insurrection Act. Lawmakers should:
- Require Congress approve any domestic troop deployment of more than 14 days;
- Empower federal courts to block illegal or unconstitutional uses of the act;
- Ensure that peaceful protest can never be grounds for military action; and
- Require transparency whenever the act is invoked.
What’s happening on American streets — armored vehicles, tear gas, and citizens beaten for exercising their rights — should never happen in a democracy.
Because the right to peacefully protest is not an act of insurrection — it’s the foundation of American democracy.
Peacefully protest. It’s not just your right. It’s your duty.
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