Republican Pushback Against Trump’s Military Deployment Comments
President Donald Trump warned that he could deploy the military if state and local officials aren’t able to contain riots and are now facing skepticism and pushback from Republican senators.
Trump, said he would deploy the military triggering speculation that he could invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy active military troops to states and cities.
Senator Lisa Murkowski seemed against militarization in response to the protests.
“I don’t think militarization is the answer to the anxiety and fear, the distrust … that we feel right now. It is not the response,” she said.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal Trump ally, said the law should only be invoked as a “last resort.”
“I don’t think the Pentagon’s keen on getting brought into this unless they absolutely have to. We need to restore order, but using active-duty military troops in circumstances like this is a fairly rare occurrence — so as a last resort,” he said to reporters.
“Hopefully he won’t do it, it won’t be necessary,” Senator Cornyn said about the President’s remarks.
When asked if Trump was floating the Insurrection Act, Cornyn added, “That would be one of the legal authorities he would depend on, but I think at this point that’s hypothetical.”
The Insurrection Act, passed in 1807, gives the president the power to deploy active military troops on U.S. soil.
It was last used in 1992 when the governor of California requested federal assistance in response to riots in Los Angeles but has not been used since then.
“The president has a responsibility to defend the country. And I’m glad the president is committing to acting swiftly,” he said.
Senator Ron Johnson, however, said the federal government’s main response should be investigating individuals involved in riots but that Trump’s response could give governors “a little spine.”
“Hopefully, you know, the president talking that way will put a little spine in some of these governors that aren’t calling out the National Guard to the extent that they need to restore order,” he said.
