Trump says the governor of Washington has to call out the national guard, says we’re all set to go pic.twitter.com/aeMyWqdYtH— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) June 15, 2020
Trump on Seattle: “The governor has to call out the troops”— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 15, 2020
Despite this "l'etat, c'est moi!" attitude:
Trump on Bolton book: ““I will consider every conversation with me as president to be highly classified”— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 15, 2020
Saying it doesn't make it so, and if Trump tried to "invoke I!", would the Pentagon comply?* Would Trump want that responsibility?
Oh, hell no.
He likes it this way. He can complain about Seattle and Washington without having to do anything about it, or be responsible for it. That's the best of all Trumpian worlds.
*the key factor in the Insurrection Act is the power it DOESN'T give the President:
The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy, if it—
(1) so hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or
(2) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.
As long as Seattle and Washington are fine with what's happening, and unless someone can prove this area in Seattle "opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws," there's literally nothing Trump can do. And all his bluster acknowledges that. Is he going to risk the Pentagon telling him it's an illegal order? Or try to take over the National Guard of Washington for this? Lafayette Square would look like a Sunday School picnic in comparison, and people would erase Kent State to replace it with "Seattle." Indeed, if it didn't lead to cries to abolish, if not defund, the National Guard, I'd be surprised.
Does Trump want that responsibility? Oh, hell no.
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