INSURRECTION ACT THREAT: The president's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to ongoing protests in Minnesota is facing backlash from state and local officials, warning against an escalation of tensions.
Trump said early Thursday he would use the two-century-old, rarely used law if "professional agitators and insurrectionists" aren't stopped from "attacking the Patriots" of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The law, passed in 1807, allows the president to deploy members of the military or federalize members of the National Guard to contain an insurrection in a state.
This is far from the first instance of Trump threatening to use the act to send troops in response to protests, but it came as tensions are escalating in Minneapolis since the shooting death of a woman by an ICE officer last week. Adding to the volatility, a federal officer shot a man in the leg during a scuffle Wednesday, sending him to the hospital.
Officials said the man is a Venezuelan migrant who entered the country illegally.
State and local officials have rejected the surge of ICE officers into the area, arguing that it's only intensifying the situation. Neither the federal government nor local officials are showing signs of backing down.
"Minnesota needs ICE to leave, not an escalation that brings additional federal troops beyond the 3,000 already here," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) said in a post on X in response to Trump's threat. "My priority is keeping local law enforcement focused on public safety, not diverted by federal overreach."
Even some members of Trump's own party are uneasy about the idea. The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports Republican senators are urging caution about using the law.
Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act a few times during his second term, including to respond to protests against ICE activities in Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. But he hasn't followed through — at least so far.
The last president to invoke the act was former President George H.W. Bush in 1992 to respond to the riots in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict. Bush invoked the law at the California governor's request.
▪ The Hill: Democrats step up efforts to rein in ICE.
▪ The Guardian: ACLU alleges racial profiling, unlawful arrests in Minnesota.
ICE DEATH RULING: A medical examiner's office is likely to rule the death of a man earlier this month in ICE custody a homicide after officials initially gave limited information about what happened, The Washington Post reports.
ICE initially said following the death of 55-year-old Geraldo Lunas Campo that staff "observed him in distress," not providing any cause of death, the Post reported. But an employee of the El Paso County's medical examiner officer told Lunas Campo's daughter that the office is likely to rule his death a homicide, pending the results of a toxicology report.
The daughter shared a recording of her conversation with the employee with the Post, revealing a doctor said the preliminary cause of death is "asphyxia due to neck and chest compression." And an eyewitness account and ICE document said Lunas Campo died after a struggle with staff.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told the Post in an email that Lunas Campo died after trying to take his own life.
"Campos violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life," McLaughlin said. "During the ensuing struggle, Campos stopped breathing and lost consciousness. Medical staff was immediately called and responded. After repeated attempts to resuscitate him, EMTs declared him deceased on the scene."
She said the situation is an active investigation.
TRIP TO DENMARK: A bipartisan group of lawmakers is visiting Denmark and meeting with officials today amid Trump's ongoing rhetoric about taking the Danish territory Greenland.
The group includes Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.).
The Trump administration has rejected calls from Denmark and Greenland, along with members of Congress, to drop its rhetoric about taking the semiautonomous island.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes the island is necessary for U.S. national security and hasn't ruled out taking it by force, alarming European allies who say such a move would threaten the future of the NATO alliance.
Vice President Vance and Rubio met with Danish and Greenlandic officials Wednesday, but Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said a "fundamental disagreement" remains concerning the territory.
The comments have even spurred backlash from members of the Senate GOP, who have vowed to prevent the administration from taking Greenland by force.
Meanwhile, troops from multiple European countries have arrived in Greenland to conduct military drills and strengthen NATO's presence on the island.
Denmark has said it's deploying increased aircraft, naval vessels and soldiers to Greenland to guard installations, assist local officials and prepare for additional allied troops.
▪ The Hill: Former Air Force secretary calls Trump threats an 'abuse of power.'
▪ The Hill: 3 in 4 Americans oppose taking control of Greenland, poll says.
TRUMP GETS MACHADO'S MEDAL: Trump accepted Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize during their meeting at the White House on Thursday.
"María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done," Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday night. "Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!"
The White House posted a photo of Trump being presented the medal along with a plaque, which states it was given as a "personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people" in recognition of Trump's "principled and decisive" action for Venezuela.
Machado had said in advance that she was willing to give him the prize in recognition of his efforts for the Venezuelan people. She told reporters after their meeting that she told Trump that Gen. Marquis de Lafayette gave Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolivar a medal with George Washington's likeness on it two centuries ago.
"Two hundred years in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of Washington a medal, in this case the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom," Machado said.
Trump had openly campaigned to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his peace-making efforts over the past year, but the Nobel Institute awarded it to Machado for her work on human rights. Although Machado handed the award to Trump, the institute said the award can't be formally transferred.
Trump has downplayed the likelihood of Machado becoming the leader of Venezuela despite Maduro's removal, saying he doesn't believe she has the support necessary from her people. He has instead backed acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
▪ The Hill: Former secretary of State warns Trump not to trust Rodríguez.
TRUMP HEALTH CARE PROPOSAL: Trump unveiled his own health care affordability proposal Thursday as Republicans try to address what could be a political vulnerability heading into the midterms.
"I'm calling on Congress to pass this framework into law without delay," Trump said in a video message. "Have to do it right now so that we can get immediate relief to the American people."
The proposal comes as lawmakers have been trying to negotiate a deal on health care after the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies. That has caused a spike in premiums for millions of Americans.
The "Great Healthcare Plan" includes several proposals that Republicans have advocated for in recent years but doesn't include an extension of the subsidies.
It calls for Congress to codify the White House's voluntary "most favored nation" status with drug companies to lower the costs of certain prescriptions and increase the availability of over-the-counter drugs. It also proposes allowing individuals to use government subsidies to purchase health insurance plans of their choice and targets prescription drug middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers.
Read more about what the plan entails here.
▪ The Hill: Administration restores Planned Parenthood funding after lawsuit.
▪ The Hill: Officials reinstate mental health, substance abuse grants.
▪ The Wall Street Journal: Webpages saying cellphones aren't dangerous quietly removed.
KHALIL APPEALS RULING: Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil received a setback Thursday when an appeals court ruled a federal judge had no authority to order his release.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ruled in a 2-1 decision that federal law allowing Khalil to ask an appeals court to review his case after he exhausts his options in the immigration system means a judge can't immediately get involved for now. The decision could lead to Khalil being arrested again, but he is allowed to continue appealing.
Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia, was first arrested in March by immigration authorities, but a federal judge ordered his release in June.
The Trump administration has tried for months to deport Khalil, who has a green card, through a provision of immigration law allowing noncitizens to be deported when the secretary of State finds they pose serious adverse foreign policy consequences. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has done so for Khalil and other pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Khalil has argued he's the victim of retaliation for exercising protected speech under the First Amendment. He can appeal the ruling to the full bench of the appeals court or go directly to the Supreme Court.
▪ The Hill: Courts allow wind farm to resume construction.
▪ ABC News: E. Jean Carroll asks Supreme Court not to review defamation case.
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