President Donald Trump declined to rule out declaring a state of emergency or invoking the Insurrection Act before the November midterm elections, saying he “could use” the law.
What Trump said
Trump was asked whether he would rule out declaring a state of emergency before the midterms unless there was widespread violence in the streets.
He said he does not rule anything out or in, then asked whether the reporters meant the Insurrection Act. When they said yes, Trump replied that he has never used it but could, adding that many people think he should sometimes.
He then shifted to crime, saying the country has the lowest murder rate since 1900. He linked that to immigration while repeating a claim that 25 million undocumented immigrants entered the country under President Joe Biden. That figure has been given without evidence.
ICE at polling places
Trump also declined to rule out sending Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to polling places.
He said he had not considered it before adding, “We’ll see.”
In May, Trump said he would do anything necessary to ensure honest elections when asked about deploying the National Guard or ICE to voting locations.
Where the interview came from
The interview was part of a cover story titled “What Trump Has Built.”
The report said senior advisers increasingly believe Trump has passed the peak of his second-term power. It also said Republicans across the party are preparing for the possibility of losing control of the House and potentially the Senate.
Trump’s comments follow earlier remarks about the 1807 law.
In October 2025, he said he could use the act and called it “unquestioned power.” Earlier, he also said the law makes life easier because a president does not have to go through the court system.