Will Trump ever declare "martial law"?

[kentuck]

And invoke the Insurrection Act?

What would be the catalyst for him to do something so drastic and horrific?

Since everything is about him, if his polls continue to go down, he will lash out at those most critical of him, in my opinion.

He may be just waiting for the opportunity at this moment? Who knows? The asshole is unstable and unpredictable, and that is not a positive trait in a leader, contrary to what his supporters, including FOX News, might think.

In my opinion, he will not hesitate to crack down on his political opponents if he sees the opportunity.

He is crazed in his maniacal pursuit of power.

[JohnSJ]

1. Perhaps a better question is, would congress finally do something about it if he did?

[._.]

2. With the Senate in play next year

He may be thinking twice about doing something that radical.
Not to mention unnecessary.

[Kid Berwyn]

3. He's already tried.

For now, Pentagon and DHS won’t recommend that Trump invoke the Insurrection Act

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/18/politics/pentagon-dhs-wont-recommend-insurrection-act/index.html

[onenote]

4. Declaring martial law and invoking the Insurrection Act are two completely different things.

Will he invoke the insurrection act, which would allow him to get around the Posse Comitatus Act and use active military to assist law enforcement in dealing with immigration? Wouldn't rule it out. Is it unprecedented for a president to invoke the insurrection act? Not at all. It's been done more than a couple of dozen times, including by JFK and LBJ and, most recently by GW Bush in response to the LA riots after the Rodney King beating. Would it be a stretch to do so? In this situation, probably.

Is it the same as declaring martial law? Not in the slightest. Martial law involves having military tribunals act in place of domestic courts when domestic courts aren't able to function in a time of war. As the Supreme Court explained over one hundred and fifty years ago:

Ex parte Milligan, 71 U.S. (4 Wall.) 2 (1866)

"If, in foreign invasion or civil war, the courts are actually closed, and it is impossible to administer criminal justice according to law, then, on the theatre of active military operations, where war really prevails, there is a necessity to furnish a substitute for the civil authority, thus overthrown, to preserve the safety of the army and society; and as no power is left but the military, it is allowed to govern by martial rule until the laws can have their free course. As necessity creates the rule, so it limits its duration; for, if this government is continued after the courts are reinstated, it is a gross usurpation of power. Martial rule can never exist where the courts are open, and in the proper and unobstructed exercise of their jurisdiction. It is also confined to the locality of actual war."

[Self Esteem]

5. Why? He doesn't have to.

[chicoescuela]

6. maybe just marital law to enforce more white baby production

[Fiendish Thingy]

7. Reminder: nationwide martial law is a physical impossibility

So, Trump may attempt to invoke the insurrection act and “declare” martial law, but he wouldn’t be able to enforce it.

Do.The.Math.

Another reminder:
Martial law typically includes nightly curfews, with violators shot on sight, or at the very least detained without due process. Also, martial law gives the military the power to conduct door to door searches to seize the firearms of private citizens.

I think it’s more likely the martial law would only be applied to solid blue sanctuary cities, but even more likely it will be threatened, but never invoked.

[imanamerican63]

8. We're still waiting for infrastructure week!

Last edited Thu Apr 24, 2025, 01:57 PM - Edit history (1)

It will be a scary day when and if does!

[Zorro]

9. He'll probably declare Marshall Law

[ForgedCrank]

10. no