The U.S. military has directed roughly 1,500 active-duty Army personnel to be ready for a potential mission to Minnesota, according to U.S. defense officials, as tensions rise following large demonstrations tied to federal immigration enforcement efforts. Citing unnamed defense officials, The Washington Post reported that the army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence in the northern state escalates – adding that it is not clear whether any of them will be sent.
The soldiers are drawn from two infantry battalions within the Army’s 11th Airborne Division stationed in Alaska, with the division known for operating in extreme cold environments. Officials described the move as a contingency measure should conditions in Minnesota deteriorate, emphasizing that no final decision has been made on whether the troops will actually be sent.
Defense officials said the order reflects routine planning rather than an imminent deployment. The White House echoed that position, noting that the Pentagon must remain ready for “any decision the President may or may not make.” A Defense Department spokesperson added that the military stands prepared to carry out lawful directives from the commander in chief. Officials also stressed that the preparation has no connection to recent comments by President Donald Trump regarding Greenland.
The heightened alert follows Trump’s public warnings that he could invoke the Insurrection Act if Minnesota leaders fail to prevent protesters from interfering with immigration officers. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump wrote: “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT.” Despite that threat, Trump later appeared to soften his stance, saying there was no need to invoke the law “right now,” while adding, “If I needed it, I’d use it.”
The Insurrection Act, enacted in 1807, allows a president to deploy active-duty troops or take control of a state’s National Guard in response to rebellion or severe civil disorder. Its use is rare and generally viewed as a last resort. The most recent invocation came in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush sent troops to Los Angeles during riots that left dozens dead and caused extensive damage. Even without invoking the statute, presidents can deploy military forces domestically for limited purposes, such as guarding federal property or personnel. Trump relied on that authority when he sent Marines to Los Angeles during earlier protests.
Minnesota has become a focal point of the administration’s immigration agenda since December, when the Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Metro Surge. In response to the unrest in his city, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the federal response, arguing it was designed to provoke confrontation. Frey said on CNN: “We’re not going to give them an excuse to do the thing that clearly they’re trying to set up to do right now, which is these 1,500 troops. I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government.”
Frey, along with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have urged demonstrators to remain peaceful. Walz has authorized the state’s National Guard to assist local agencies if needed, though the troops have not been deployed. At the same time, the Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether Walz, Frey, and other Democratic officials obstructed immigration enforcement. Both leaders have condemned the probe as politically motivated, with Frey stating that his office had not yet received a subpoena. He called the investigation “deeply concerning,” and added, “This whole investigation would ultimately be the product of one of the most basic, foundational responsibilities that I have as mayor, which is to speak on behalf of my constituents.”
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