WASHINGTON – President Trump has moved to place more than 1 500 Army paratroopers on standby as chaotic anti-ICE protests sweep Minnesota.
In the wake of violent clashes in Minneapolis between demonstrators and law enforcement, the White House has reportedly asked federal troops to stand at the ready.
Defence officials revealed the plans to ABC News on Saturday, saying the active duty soldiers would be deployed from the 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska.
The base is reportedly one of the Army’s premier infantry units positioned to help deter China, but Trump is set to move resources to crush protests that erupted in Minneapolis over the ICE shooting of resident Renee Good on January 7. Officials reportedly said Trump has not yet decided if the troops will be deployed.
‘‘We are taking prudent steps to prepare active-duty Army forces,’’ one official said. ‘‘This doesn’t mean they will deploy; we are preparing options.’’
The potential military deployment comes as protests in Minneapolis have come to resemble warzones in recent days, with tear-gas and violent confrontations taking hold on the streets of the city.
The FBI has also reportedly asked US agents to travel to Minneapolis for temporary duty, according to Bloomberg.
The move to crush the protests comes as FBI Director Kash Patel vowed on social media that his bureau would ‘cracking down’ on ‘violent rioters’ in Minneapolis.
‘‘This team is working 24/7 here, cracking down on violent rioters and investigating the funding networks supporting the criminal actors with multiple arrests already,’’ he wrote.
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