Rep. Ilhan Omar sharply criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday, calling his recent threats to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota “a blatant act of authoritarianism” and “the playbook of a wannabe dictator.”
Omar’s comments came in response to a post from Trump in which he warned that if Minnesota officials failed to curb protests against federal immigration operations, he would deploy military forces under the Insurrection Act — a law that allows the president to mobilize U.S. military forces domestically during civil unrest.
“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, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump wrote.
The remarks come after a week of heightened tensions in Minneapolis, where federal immigration officers were involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman, during an enforcement operation. Protests erupted across the city, leading to clashes between demonstrators and federal agents.
Minnesota Democratic officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, have condemned the president’s threat. Ellison said he was prepared to challenge any use of the Insurrection Act in court, and Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as “impossible” for city authorities to manage while trying to maintain public safety.
Omar, who represents Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District, placed the president’s threat in a broader political context. “This is the playbook of a wannabe dictator to rationalize even more extreme abuses of power,” she said, framing Trump’s threat as part of a pattern of authoritarian behavior.
Trump has repeatedly referenced the Insurrection Act in situations where federal immigration operations or protests have been met with resistance. Officials in his administration, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, have echoed language portraying demonstrators as insurrectionists, while asserting that Trump is exercising his constitutional authority.
The escalating conflict in Minnesota highlights deep divisions over immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and the limits of executive power. Federal courts are set to review ongoing operations and the use of force by immigration officers, and the situation remains fluid as both local and federal officials navigate the tensions.
