U.S. Secretary of Defense says He Does Not Support Deploying Active Military in U.S.

Recently, President Trump warned he “will deploy the United States military” “if a city or state refuses to take the action necessary” to quell protests.

Under the Insurrection Act, whenever the President determines that “unlawful obstructions,… or rebellion against the United States, makes it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States… he may call into Federal Service… the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or suppress the rebellion”.

Today, the United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said he “do[es] not support invoking the Insurrection Act”. Secretary Esper explained that he believes the Insurrection Act should be used “as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire situations”. Continuing, the Defense Secretary clarified “we are not in one those situations now”.