Steve Bannon urged President Donald Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. He argued on his “War Room” program that the unrest over immigration enforcement calls for a military response and claimed that Minnesotans “hate white people.”
Bannon opened Thursday’s episode by supporting Trump’s public threat to use the 19th-century law to send troops to Minnesota. This comes as protests erupted in Minneapolis after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good.
“We demand mass deportations,” Bannon said on the show. “Not the onesies and twosies you’re seeing in Minnesota. You haven’t seen anything yet. We are the biggest advocates for invoking the Insurrection Act and cleaning up the mess.”
He then expanded on his views about the motivations of the protesters and Minnesota officials. “What you see in Minnesota is an act of, they hate America, they hate American citizens, dare I say they hate white people?” he said. “Bring it.”
Trump threatened this week to invoke the Insurrection Act after clashes between protesters and law enforcement during demonstrations linked to federal immigration operations. Reuters reported that the administration blamed local Democratic leaders for not controlling the unrest. Critics condemned the tactics used by federal agents and questioned whether their presence increased tensions.
The Insurrection Act, passed in 1807, allows presidents to deploy active-duty military or federalize the National Guard in specific situations. This includes suppressing civil disorder or enforcing federal law when authorities claim that regular methods won’t work. The law has rarely been used in recent times, including during the civil rights era and the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Zionist bannon: 01/15
we demand mass deportations
They Hate White people
Insurrection Act, Do It Now pic.twitter.com/XH12dLIBhE
— it’s the Jews®️ (@itsTheJews60) January 15, 2026
Legal scholars told The Associated Press that using the act in Minnesota would create immediate legal and political issues. This is because the federal government’s agents are central to the events Trump mentions. The AP report added that presidents typically use the act as a last resort, often after state leaders asked for help. Courts have historically given presidents significant leeway in deciding when the conditions meet the statute’s criteria.
The Minnesota protests grew more intense after Good’s death on January 7. Emergency response records described her as unresponsive and not breathing when paramedics arrived. The reports noted multiple gunshot wounds, based on documents cited in the reporting.
Public officials in Minnesota have called for calm while criticizing the federal operation. The Guardian reported that Gov. Tim Walz condemned the federal response. He warned that Trump’s actions risk stirring more violence. Meanwhile, Homeland Security officials stated that they would not withdraw agents from the state.
Bannon’s comments came during a national discussion about immigration enforcement, the role of federal agents in U.S. cities, and the limits of presidential power to use the military domestically. In his remarks, Bannon called protesters “scum in the streets” and demanded, “Let’s invoke the Insurrection Act and let’s do it today.”
The White House has not announced any formal steps to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. The law does not require prior court approval, but any decision to deploy troops would likely lead to lawsuits and calls for congressional oversight, especially if troops perform functions that resemble domestic law enforcement.
