Former Appearing Deputy Secretary of Homeland Safety from 2019 to 2021, Ken Cuccinelli, dismantled CNN host Brianna Keilar’s speaking factors throughout an trade over President Trump’s authority to invoke the Riot Act.
Keilar requested Cuccinelli if President Trump may legally deploy active-duty army to revive regulation and order in cities overrun by violent chaos.
The Riot Act is a U.S. federal regulation that offers the President authority to deploy the army and Nationwide Guard inside the USA to suppress civil dysfunction, riot, and rebel.
The Gateway Pundit reported earlier that President Trump has simply accredited the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to the town.
This brings the overall variety of army personnel about to hit the streets of Los Angeles to greater than 4,700, together with U.S. Marines.
Throughout a phase meant to criticize Trump’s resolution to deploy hundreds of Nationwide Guard troops—and his potential transfer to ship in active-duty Marines—Cuccinelli flipped the narrative on its head.
Brianna Keilar:
Do you assume that President Trump ought to invoke the Riot Act?Ken Cuccinelli:
Effectively, that’s successfully a operate of accessible sources. So, after they totally ramp up what they assume is the optimum variety of Nationwide Guardsmen, and in the event that they nonetheless aren’t quelling the violence, then sure is the quick reply—simply because it was performed in L.A. again in 1992. And that’s what that software is for.The President has made it clear that, not like his first time period, he’s prepared to make use of it. I believe all of us take him significantly on that. He’s already moved Nationwide Guardsmen in a method he didn’t through the riots in 2020.
I can inform you, for those who consider Portland, Oregon, the place we had 340 officer accidents in the summertime of 2020—340 officers injured—and the governor wouldn’t—Governor Brown there—wouldn’t convey within the Nationwide Guard, and President Trump didn’t override it, as he has the authority to do.
Brianna Keilar:
I hear you, Ken, however you raised a very— You’ve all talked about a number of instances. You raised a really critical factor, so I simply need to ask you. You mentioned the Riot Act—it’s actually a matter of accessible sources. I don’t know that that’s how lots of people would learn it.Are you saying that it’s actually only a matter of in the event that they don’t have sufficient Guard, then they’ll go forward and deploy active-duty army, like these Marines who’ve been readied, and that’s okay due to the Riot Act?
Ken Cuccinelli:
That’s precisely what the Riot Act says.
WATCH:
CNN Visitor Stuns Host and Viewers
YES, Trump can invoke the Riot Act.
Former DHS official Ken Cuccinelli got here in with a tricky dose of actuality when Brianna Keilar requested, “Do you assume that President Trump ought to invoke the Riot Act due to the unrest in… pic.twitter.com/prMPRC3iCH
— The Vigilant Fox (@VigilantFox) June 9, 2025
At one level, the dialog grew tense as Keilar tried to tell apart between President Trump’s present transfer and historic precedent. Cuccinelli fired again, clearly fed up with the mainstream media spin.
Ken Cuccinelli:
There are 4 causes below the Riot Act that the President can deploy army below that act. Riot is simply one of many 4—that’s the identify of the act, but it surely’s solely one of many 4 bases.And sure, simply what I mentioned: if federal sources are in any other case inadequate to take care of regardless of the circumstance the President sees, he has full authority, below the Riot Act, to make the most of active-duty army to take part in addressing that state of affairs. And right here, we’re speaking about violence within the streets of Los Angeles. He completely has the authority to do it, simply as President George Bush did in 1992.
Brianna Keilar:
This is able to be considerably totally different than 1992. However I do need to ask you—as a result of sending in federal troops right here in opposition to the governor and the mayor’s needs, as you’re properly conscious, George H. W. Bush had Governor Pete Wilson’s assist. So, he wasn’t doing the very same factor—you’re properly conscious of that. How does the Trump administration then mitigate the danger that what it’s doing may really inflame the state of affairs?Ken Cuccinelli:
So, after all, there are variations between each circumstance—so please don’t lecture me on that. In the event that they need to mitigate the circumstances, then coaxing as a lot cooperation as you may get is clearly the 1st step. That’s not going to occur with the mayor and the governor.They’ve made that very clear. The governor goes to file a ineffective lawsuit in opposition to the President—that is well-litigated floor. The President goes to win that lawsuit. However whenever you don’t have any cooperation domestically, you’re left working by yourself.
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