Trump says feds won’t intervene during protests in Democratic-led cities unless asked to do so

Trump states federal intervention in protests will only occur in Democratic cities if local authorities request assistance.

President Donald Trump said on Saturday (January 31, 2026) that he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests occurring in cities led by Democrats unless local authorities ask for federal help amid mounting criticism of his administration's immigration crackdown.

On his social media site, Mr. Trump posted that “under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help.”

He provided no further details on how his order would affect operations by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and DHS personnel, or other federal agencies, but added: “We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists.”

Mr. Trump said that in addition to his instructions to Ms. Noem he had directed “ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property.”

The Trump administration has already deployed the National Guard, or federal law enforcement officials, in a number of Democratic areas, including Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. But Saturday's (January 31, 2026) order comes as opposition to such tactics has grown, particularly in Minnesota's Twin Cities region.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul have challenged a federal immigration enforcement surge in those cities, arguing that DHS is violating constitutional protections.