Inside the Insurrection Act Trap: Minnesota as the 2026 Midterm Blueprint

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Good Tuesday morning, Patriots, and welcome back to O'Connor's right stand. I'm your host, John O'Connor, software programmer by day, conservative truth seeker by night. Before we get started, if you're listening via podcast right now, I'm also on YouTube and Rumble. If you could do me a favor, and before you forget, pause the podcast and head over to Rumble and search O'Connor Podcasts, one word. And if you haven't already, consider hitting the subscribe button. I'm starting to see some real growth on YouTube and trying to continue the momentum.

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It really does help more people discover our podcast. I appreciate you listening. Now let's get into today's discussion. As I'm recording this, 1500 soldiers from 11th Airborne Division in Alaska are on prepare to deploy orders to Minnesota. They are cold weather specialists and they are waiting for one thing, President Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act. Now here's what you need to understand. Minnesota is in the middle of winter.

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It is freezing, yet protesters are out every single day blocking ICE agents, invading churches, creating chaos in sub-zero temperatures. And I keep asking myself, if leftists are willing to do this in January, when it's below zero, what is it going to look like as we get near October when it's 70 degrees outside and sunny? Six weeks before the midterm elections, what's that going to be like?

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Today, we're breaking down what the Insurrection Act actually is, why Democrats are begging Trump to invoke it, how Minnesota is the trial run for a nationwide midterm strategy, and why every single thing you are seeing right now is about optics. Not immigrants, not ICE, not justice. This is the trap, and I'm going to show you exactly how they are setting it. The right stand starts now.

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Patriots, before we talk about what's happening today, we need to understand what the law actually is. Because the legacy media is lying to you about it. Calling it authoritarian, calling it unprecedented, acting like Trump invented it last week. So let's get the facts straight. The Insurrection Act was signed into law on March 3rd, 1807 by President Thomas Jefferson. Yes, that Thomas Jefferson, founding father.

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author of the Declaration of Independence, third president of the United States. And here's what you need to know. Jefferson didn't just wake up one day and decide to give himself more power. This law was passed by Congress, the ninth Congress to be specific. Many of them were founding fathers themselves. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union

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suppress insurrections and repel invasions. Notice that? The Founders specifically gave the federal government power to suppress insurrections. This isn't some modern power grab, this is constitutional. Now, the Insurrection Act built on earlier laws, specifically the Militia Acts of 1792 and 1795,

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George Washington himself used those laws to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 when farmers in Pennsylvania were violently resisting federal tax collectors. But here's why Jefferson needed the Insurrection Act. In 1806, former Vice President Aaron Burr, yes, the guy who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, started organizing what looked like a rebellion in the Louisiana Territory. Burr allegedly planned to seize land.

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maybe invade Spanish controlled Mexico, possibly create his own breakaway nation. Jefferson wanted to stop him, but realized the existing laws only let him call up state militias. He couldn't deploy the regular United States Army or Navy. So Jefferson went down to the Congress and said, hey, we needed broader authority to suppress domestic insurrections and enforce federal law. And Congress, filled with founding fathers who wrote the Constitution,

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past the Insurrection Act. Here's the original text, Patriots. It's just one paragraph. In all cases of insurrection or obstruction to the laws, either of the United States or of any individual state or territory, where it is lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia for the purposes of suppressing such insurrection or of causing the laws to be duly executed, it shall be lawful.

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for him to employ, for the same purposes, such part of the land or naval force of the United States, as shall be judged necessary." That's it. One paragraph. Signed by Thomas Jefferson, passed by the founding generation of Congress. Now, when has it been used? Let me give you the history because, hmm, context seems to always matter. President Andrew Jackson used it against Nat Turner's Rebellion.

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A slave uprising in Virginia. President Abraham Lincoln used it extensively during the Civil War. President Ulysses S. Grant used it three times during Reconstruction to stop the Ku Klux Klan violence against Black Americans. President Dwight Eisenhower used it in 1957 to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas. President John F. Kennedy used it in 1962 to protect James Meredith.

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a black student trying to enroll at the University of Mississippi. President Lyndon Johnson used it in 1967 and 1968 during the Detroit riots and after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. And here's the last time it was invoked. President George H.W. Bush in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots after the Rodney King verdict. That's 33 years ago, Patriots. 33 years.

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without any president invoking this law. It's the longest period in American history without use of the Insurrection Act. So when the legacy media acts like Trump is breaking 200 years of norms, they are lying to you. Now, let's talk about what's actually happening in Minnesota, because the facts matter. We covered this numerous times, but to make sure the new listeners are caught up to speed, on January 7th, ICE agent Ron-

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Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good during an immigration enforcement operation. Good was a 37-year-old American citizen. The Trump administration says she weaponized her vehicle and tried to run Ross over. Her wife, Becca, was on scene filming and heckling the agents. Immediately, and I mean immediately, leftist groups mobilized. Protests erupted. Churches got invaded. ICE facilities got surrounded. Now, here's what you need to understand.

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frye are not stopping these protests. They are encouraging them. Walz literally told Trump to turn down the temperature while his state allows rioters to attack federal agents. Frye said ICE agents are creating chaos and that residents are asking Minneapolis police to fight ICE agents on the street. Fight ICE agents on the street.

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asking the Minneapolis police to fight ICE agents on the street.

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And here's the kicker. A Biden appointed judge, Catherine Menendez, issued a temporary restraining order banning federal agents from arresting protesters, detaining them, or using crowd control methods. So federal agents trying to enforce federal immigration law are now banned from defending themselves against rioters. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into walls and for obstruction of federal law enforcement.

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And yesterday, as I'm recording this, the Pentagon confirmed that 1,500 soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska are on prepare to deploy orders. These aren't just random troops, Patriots. The 11th Airborne specializes in cold weather operations. They are based in Alaska. They train for Arctic conditions. Why would the Pentagon specifically choose cold weather troops for Minnesota in January?

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because they know this could happen. Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act on January 15th. He said, quote, If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of ICE, who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the Insurrection Act. So here we are. 1,500 troops ready to go. Federal agents under attack.

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State officials defying federal law. The question is, should Trump pull the trigger? Let's be clear about something. Trump has the legal authority to do this. Section 252 of the Insurrection Act says that President can deploy troops whenever unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebelling against the authority of the United States, make it impractical to enforce the laws of the United States.

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Is that happening in Minnesota? Well, yeah, absolutely. ICE agents can't do their jobs because protesters block them at every turn. State officials won't help. Local police are ordered to stand down. A federal judge banned agents from defending themselves. That's textbook unlawful obstruction, making it impracticable to enforce federal law. So legally, Trump's got a rock solid case. But here's the question I want you to think about.

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Just because you can do something, should you? Because this isn't just a legal question. This is a political question, and it's a strategic question. And that's where this gets interesting, Patriots. Because I think Democrats are counting on Trump invoking the Insurrection Act. In fact, I think they are begging him to do it. Why? Well, let me show you. Here's what should make your alarm bells go off in your head.

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The legacy media is already writing about how Trump's going to use the Insurrection Act to interfere with the midterms. Salon ran an article titled, How Trump Intends to Hijack the Midterms. Their theory? Trump will invoke the Insurrection Act, send troops to Democrat cities, then claim elections can't be held safely. Newsweek published how Trump could use ice shooting to impact 2026 midterms. They interviewed professors who said Trump could create

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an atmosphere of fear in democratic cities in advance of the midterms. Rolling Stone, that piece of garbage, literally published an article where Trump allegedly said, we shouldn't even have an election for the midterms. Democracy Now, MS Now, CNN, they are all running the same narratives. Trump is planning to weaponize the Insurrection Act for political purposes. Now here's the question you should be asking. If they are so worried about Trump doing this,

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Why are they advertising it? Think about it. These are left-wing publications. They hate Trump. So why would they be giving him ideas? Why would they be predicting his strategy six months before the election? I'll tell you why. Because they want him to do it. Here's the trap, Patriots. And pay close attention because this is, hmm, brilliant political strategy. Evil, but brilliant.

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If Trump invokes the Insurrection Act and deploys the troops to Minnesota, or Chicago, or Los Angeles, or Portland, Democrats immediately get their midterm campaign narrative handed to them on a silver platter. Trump is a dictator who deployed the military against American citizens. Every single Democrat running for Congress will have the same campaign ad. Images of troops in American cities, video of soldiers at ICE facilities, scary music,

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voiceover saying, Trump used the military against his own people, stop him before it's too late. Suburban moms see those ads, independent voters see those ads, and they get scared. Doesn't matter that Trump had legal authority, doesn't matter that states were defying federal law, doesn't matter that ICE agents were under attack. All that matters is the optics. Military troops in American cities right before an election.

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Democrats don't even have to win the argument. They just have to make voters uncomfortable. And here's the beautiful part of their trap. If Trump doesn't invoke the Insurrection Act, Democrats still win. Because then they keep attacking ICE. They keep releasing criminal illegals from custody. They keep forcing ICE into the streets where activists can curate viral videos of aggressive federal agents. It's a perfect damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

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And the legacy media is setting it up right now by writing articles predicting Trump will use the Insurrection Act for the midterms. They are not predicting it, patriots. They are manifesting it. They are willing it into existence because they want those campaign ads. Now let me show you something that nobody in the legacy media is connecting. It's January in Minnesota. The temperature right now is in the teens. Windchill makes it feel like zero.

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and protesters are out there every single day. They are blocking ice facilities, they are invading churches, they are confronting agents in sub-zero temperatures. Ask yourself this question. If leftists are willing to protest in January in Minnesota when it's freezing, what's it going to look like in October when it's 75 degrees and sunny? What's it going to look like six weeks before the midterm elections when the weather is perfect for mass protests?

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Here's what I think is happening. Minnesota is a trial run. Democrats are testing tactics. They are testing messaging. Testing how far they can push before Trump responds with force. They are figuring out how to create sympathetic victims like Renee Good. How to mobilize protesters quickly. How to use judges to tie federal agents' How to get mayors and governors to defy federal law. How to generate viral videos and media coverage.

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and they are doing it in the worst possible weather conditions. Because if they can get people to protest in January in Minnesota, they can get people to protest anywhere in October. Think about the timeline, Patriots. The midterm elections are November 4th, 2026. That's 10 months away. In October, six weeks before the election, the weather will be perfect across most of America. 60, 70, 80 degrees, clear skies, beautiful fall weather.

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And here's what I predict will happen. ICE operations will ramp up in swing districts. Detroit, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Milwaukee, all the cities that decide house races. And suddenly, magically, protests will erupt. Same playbook as Minnesota. Block ICE, create confrontations, generate sympathetic victims, get viral videos. Democrat candidates will march with the protesters. They will give speeches about Trump's authoritarian crackdown.

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They'll demand he respect local authority. The legacy media will run wall-to-wall coverage of chaos in American cities. And if Trump deploys troops, every Democrat runs on stop the dictator. If he doesn't, the chaos continues and Democrats say Trump can't even keep order in his own country. It's a perfect strategy. And Minnesota is where they are perfecting it right now. Now here's the part that should really concern you.

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What happens after the election? I'm going to make a prediction right now and I want you to remember this in December 2026. The protests will disappear. Not slowly, not gradually. They will just stop. Because this was never about ICE. This was never about immigration. This was never about Renee Good. This is about midterms. This is about optics. This is about creating campaign footage. And once the election is over,

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Win or lose, Democrats don't need the protest anymore. The activists will go home. The churches will go quiet. The streets will clear. And the legacy media will move on to the next crisis. Mark my words, patriots, this is all theater. Minnesota is the dress rehearsal. And the performance runs from now until November 4th. So where does this leave us? Trump faces an impossible choice.

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He can invoke the Insurrection Act and give Democrats their midterm narrative, or he can let Democrat-run states continue defying federal law with impunity. There's no good option here. That's the point of a trap. But here's what I think Trump should do. Call their bluff. Don't invoke the Insurrection Act. Not yet. Not unless things get significantly worse. Instead, keep doing what ICE is doing. Enforce the law. Methodically.

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relentlessly, without drama. Let Democrats be the ones creating chaos. Let them be the ones defying federal authority. Let them be the ones releasing violent criminals back onto the streets. And most importantly, document everything. Every criminal illegal that Walls releases, document it. Name, crime, victim. Every time Minneapolis police refuse to help ICE, document it. Time, location, incident.

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every time a protester attacks an agent. Document it, video, witness statements, charges filed. Build a prosecutorial case against Walls, Frye, and every other official whose obstruction obstructing federal law. Then, after the election, after the political theater ends, bring the hammer down. Criminal charges, contempt of Congress, obstruction of justice, dereliction of duty.

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Make them pay for turning federal law enforcement into a political game. And to you, patriots, here's what you need to do. First, see through the trap. When you see footage of protests in October, remember they are manufactured for the midterms. Second, share the truth. Don't let Democrats control the narrative. Every time someone says Trump deployed the troops, remind them that states were defying federal law. Third, support ICE agents.

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They are doing their jobs under impossible conditions. They are heroes, not villains. Fourth, vote in the midterms like your country depends on it. Because it does. If Democrats take the House, they will impeach Trump again. They will block deportations. They will tie his hands for two years. And fifth, hold state officials accountable. If your governor or mayor is harboring criminal illegals, vote them out.

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The rule of law only works if we enforce it. And right now, Democrat officials think they are above the law. They are counting on Trump to overreact. They are counting on scary images of troops and cities. They are counting on you to fall for their manufactured crisis. Don't give them what they want. Patriots, let me bring this home. The Insurrection Act is a 290-year-old law passed by the founding generation. It's been used by presidents from both parties to enforce federal law

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when states won't. Trump has every legal right to invoke it in Minnesota right now. The obstruction is real, the defiance is real, the attacks on federal agents are real. But this isn't just about the law. This is about politics. This is about the 2026 midterms. And this is about a trap Democrats are setting with Minnesota as the testing ground. If leftists will protest in January in sub-zero temperatures,

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Imagine what October will look like when the weather is perfect and the election is six weeks away. Don't fall for the theater. See it for what it is. A coordinated strategy to generate scary images for campaign ads. Trump's move? Enforce the law without drama. Document everything. Prosecute after the election. Our move? Spread the truth. Support ICE. Vote like it matters. Because in 10 months, we are going to know if this strategy works.

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And I'm betting that by December, when Republicans still control the House, God willing, these protests will have mysteriously vanished. Funny how that works. Hit that subscribe, follow, and or like button wherever you're listening. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Rumble, your platform of choice. Check out O'Connor's Quick Strike on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for rapid fire news. And this podcast always drops on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Find me on X at O'Connor Podcasts.

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Share this episode. Get the conversation going. Have a great rest of your day, Patriots. Until Thursday, hold the line unapologetically. This is John O'Connor, signing off.