Overview

• Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has hinted at an expanded role for the military within the US during his potential second term.
• Trump has not specified how he might use the military, but has suggested they would have wide latitude to call up units.
• The Insurrection Act, a law first crafted in the nation's infancy, would give Trump as commander in chief almost unfettered power to do so.
• The act allows presidents to call on reserve or active-duty military units to respond to unrest in the states, an authority that is not reviewable by the courts.
• Repeated attempts to invoke the Insurrection Act in a new Trump presidency could put pressure on military leaders, who could face consequences for their actions even if done at the direction of the president.