Overview
- In a Time interview the president said he “doesn’t rule anything out or in” and added “I could use it” when asked about invoking the Insurrection Act or declaring a state of emergency before the midterm elections.
- The Insurrection Act is federal law that lets a president deploy the military and National Guard to suppress civil disorder, insurrection, or rebellion, and it was last used in 1992.
- The Pentagon has issued internal guidance to defend the midterms and said its work will prioritize cyber and intelligence capabilities rather than routine domestic troop deployments.
- Reporting places the interview in a pattern of past remarks and encounters, including a year‑old Fox News comment about the act, public musings about canceling elections, a reported Zelenskyy remark, and a recent pitch from a far‑right conspiracy theorist to declare an emergency to restrict voting.
- Legal experts and voting advocates say such a move could militarize polling places, chill turnout and trigger state‑federal fights and court challenges, so observers will watch for any formal emergency order, Guard activations, or operational directives to troops.