President Donald Trump stunned reporters this week with a bold statement about his authority to deploy any branch of the U.S. military — including the Navy — inside American cities if needed to restore law and order.
While speaking aboard Air Force One after visiting U.S. troops in Japan, Trump said he has full power under the Insurrection Act to use more than just the National Guard to keep peace in areas rocked by crime and chaos.
“If we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard,” Trump declared. “I could send the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines — anybody I wanted. But we haven’t needed to do that because things are under control.”
The President’s comments come after he previously authorized National Guard deployments to Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington, D.C. amid surging crime and growing unrest. Trump has warned that Democrat-run cities like Portland and Chicago could face stronger action if local officials continue resisting federal help.
When pressed by a New York Times reporter to clarify his remarks, Trump didn’t hold back.
“If I want to enact a certain act, I’m allowed to do it,” he said, referencing the Insurrection Act. “About half of all presidents have used it. The courts wouldn’t get involved. I have that power if I need it — but we’re doing very well without it.”
Trump’s remarks send a clear message to Democrat leaders who refuse to protect their citizens — the federal government will step in if they fail to maintain law and order. Supporters praised the President’s resolve, calling him the only leader willing to take real action to stop violence and chaos in America’s cities.
Critics, however, continue to accuse Trump of overreach — but that hasn’t stopped his approval among conservatives from climbing as many Americans grow frustrated with rising crime and collapsing leadership in blue states.
For millions of Americans, Trump’s warning isn’t a threat — it’s a promise that under his leadership, law and order will always come first.