President Donald Trump’s deployment of Marines follows historical precedents when presidents used the Insurrection Act during crises, including the 1992 Rodney King riots and 1968 D.C. unrest.
President Donald Trump drew sharp criticism from Democrats when he mobilized U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in response to anti-immigration enforcement riots.
The battalion of about 700 Marines has stationed itself near the city, ready to respond but has not yet done so. If called in, they will be armed with shields and batons but will not have the authority to arrest.
The move, while rare, is not without precedent. Under the Insurrection Act, presidents have historically deployed active duty forces during moments of national emergency – despite long-standing legal restrictions under the Posse Comitatus Act.
Here is a look back at key moments when commanders in chief ordered troops into American cities to restore order.Rodney King Riots – Los Angeles, 1992
After a jury acquitted four LAPD officers in the brutal beating of Rodney King, riots erupted across Los Angeles. The chaos prompted then-California Gov. Pete Wilson to request federal assistance.
Then-President George H.W. Bush invoked the Insurrection Act, deploying 4,000 U.S. Army soldiers and 1,500 Marines in addition to National Guardsmen. The riots left more than 60 people dead, thousands injured and large swaths of the city burned.
