Fact check: Did Trump invoke the Insurrection Act for the current LA riots?

1. Summary of the results

Trump did NOT invoke the Insurrection Act for the LA riots. Instead, he used Title 10 authority to federalize 2,000 California National Guard members ^{[1] [2]}. This is a legally distinct action from invoking the Insurrection Act, though both involve federal control of troops. The White House explicitly confirmed they were using Title 10 authority rather than the Insurrection Act ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are important to understand:

• The deployment was made against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass ^[1]
• The troops' role is legally limited to supporting and protecting ICE officers, and they cannot engage in direct law enforcement without the Insurrection Act ^[3]
• Invoking the Insurrection Act requires a specific public proclamation ordering dispersal, which has not occurred ^[4]
• The deployment was specifically in response to protests following federal immigration raids, not general civil unrest ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself reflects a common misunderstanding about federal troop deployment. Several parties have distinct interests in how this is portrayed:

• Federal Government: Benefits from appearing to take strong action while avoiding the political implications of invoking the Insurrection Act ^[3]
• State/Local Officials: Opposition from Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass suggests they want to maintain state/local control over law enforcement response ^[1]
• Legal Experts: Have raised concerns about this being a potential precursor to more aggressive deployments ^[3]

The distinction between federalizing National Guard troops and invoking the Insurrection Act is crucial - while both involve federal control, they have different legal implications and restrictions ^[6]. Simply seeing federal troops present does not mean the Insurrection Act has been invoked.