Stephen Colbert reacts to Trumps Insurrection Act threat

January 16, 2026

Stephen Colbert presents

Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to send U.S. military forces into Minnesota. The president did so in a Truth Social post on Thursday, following protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the state and across the country demanding justice after the killing of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent.

Stephen Colbert reacted to Trump's threat during his Late Show monologue on Thursday night.

"With Minnesota under siege by masked, armed goons victimising American citizens, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. Well, that will calm everybody down," he said. "I'm sure Minnesotans will just love that. That's why all the protesters' signs say, 'ICE go home, then come back in a tank.'"

Colbert then explained the Insurrection Act to his audience:

"Fun fact, the Insurrection Act allows the president to deploy members of the military or federalise the state National Guard to contain an insurrection in the U.S. state and hold on...hold on...I'm being given a correction: That fact was not fun. My mistake."

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