Trump Wants Insurrection Act: Mainstream Media Forgets Biden Used It Too
The New Arab's explainer on the Insurrection Act dutifully details its historical uses and Donald Trump's past eagerness to deploy it. What they conspicuously gloss over, however, is President Biden's own utilization of the act in 2023, activating National Guard troops for the 'Southwest border security mission.' (Or the Act's use by multiple Presidents, from Bush to Obama, for events ranging from
natural disasters to labor disputes.) The concern for presidential overreach, it appears, is highly conditional, fluctuating with the political winds and the identity of the person holding the pen. One might wonder if the Insurrection Act truly becomes a grave threat only when a specific 'wrong' president considers it, while others are simply navigating 'complex security challenges.' The selective
outrage certainly makes for compelling news cycles, but it’s less about consistent constitutional principle and more about convenient political narrative. Why examine the tool itself when you can just demonize the hand allegedly reaching for it?