# Martial Law in Today's America - daily report **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 14, 2025, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021 "2025-08-14T02:43:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/141 "2025-10-06T18:41:13Z")
Can the world do a class action against him? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/142 "2025-10-06T20:26:28Z")
Well, it’s my day off here and beautiful war torn Portland, Oregon, so I’m going to traipse on down the ICE facility and see what’s what. Maybe I’ll get a nice sandwich while I’m down in that neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/143 "2025-10-07T02:07:51Z")
And Trump is sending the Texas National Guard to Chicago rather than using the Illinois Guard. He also said today he will likely invoke the Insurrection Act to get around meddlesome governors and judges. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/144 "2025-10-07T02:39:27Z")
Then he’ll try the Law of the Jungle, the Pirate Code, and the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition to try to justify harassing people and tear-gassing schools. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/145 "2025-10-07T05:55:05Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > He also said today he will likely invoke the Insurrection Act to get around meddlesome governors and judges. [Here’s more on this.](https://www.aol.com/news/trump-floats-invoking-insurrection-act-234010713.html) > [@](#): > > President [Donald Trump](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump) said Monday that he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act “if it was necessary,” particularly if the courts or state and local officials [delay his plans](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/illinois-sues-trump-administration-national-guard-deployment-chicago-rcna235900) to deploy the National Guard. > > “I’d do it if it was necessary. So far it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when he was asked under what conditions he would consider the rarely used 19th century law. > > “If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that. I mean, I want to make sure that people aren’t killed. We have to make sure that our cities are safe,” he added. Enact it? You ignoramus! You don’t get to enact laws. But, hey, thanks for burting out the real reason you will pull yet another illegal stunt. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/146 "2025-10-07T11:16:37Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Maybe I’ll get a nice sandwich while I’m down in that neighborhood. For dessert, get some marshmallows you can toast over the perennially burning embers all over the city. /s ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/147 "2025-10-07T11:41:30Z")
> Bondi said she fully supports law enforcement and says they will charge “anyone who touches a police officer” with assault. Does that include the ICE agents that tear gassed/maced Chicago cops a few days ago? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/148 "2025-10-07T12:09:34Z")
> [@Ancient\_Nerd](#): > > If el donald can’t order the California national guard to invade Oregon, maybe he can order the Nebraska navy to invade Venezuela For those who are unaware, Nebraska _does_ have a Navy. It’s just Admirals all the way down, though. [Link](https://commonplacefacts.com/2023/04/21/nebraska-triple-landlocked-state-navy/) ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/149 "2025-10-07T13:42:08Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > For those who are unaware, Nebraska _does_ have a Navy. It’s just Admirals all the way down, though. > > [Link](https://commonplacefacts.com/2023/04/21/nebraska-triple-landlocked-state-navy/) And I am one of those Nebraska Navy Admirals. Complete with a proclamation suitable for framing. Retirement plan is lousy though. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/150 "2025-10-07T14:09:00Z")
Do you have to get swatted on the butt and eat a raisin out of a fat man’s belly button if you go halfway across the Platte? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/151 "2025-10-08T02:10:54Z")
[This is the most blatant move yet towards making the country a military dictatorship.](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/illinois-braces-possible-national-guard-150703511.html) (The **bolding** is mine.) > [@](#): > > In Memphis, Tennessee, meanwhile, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Guard troops could arrive by Friday. She said a small group of commanders were already in the city, working on planning and logistics. > > Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who supports the effort, has said the **troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service** to “play a critical support role” for local law enforcement, though that role hasn’t been precisely defined yet. First the wannabe dictator put military lawyers in as prosecutors on civilian cases. The next step was putting military lawyers in as judges on civilian cases. And now he’s putting soldiers in as deputey marshals. Remember: _Every day is the first day of the rest of the dictatorship_. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/152 "2025-10-08T03:24:52Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > if you go halfway across the Platte? Nope. I just opened the big blue envelope from the governor and “poof, I was an Admiral”. I never did get around to ordering a hat with ‘scrambled eggs’ on the visor but that’s because I hate hats. I could get a license plate frame with “Admiral, Great Navy of Nebraska” but it’s far enough down my list of ‘to do’s’ that it hasn’t happened. It’d be tempting to then get a custom bumper sticker that says ‘my other vehicle is an aircraft carrier’. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/153 "2025-10-08T03:49:12Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Nope. I just opened the big blue envelope from the governor and “poof, I was an Admiral”. **Boo** , you could move north and become a pirate. Ever hear of “The Last Saskatchewan Pirate”"? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/154 "2025-10-08T04:04:24Z")
Well my fellow sea-dog, there are made available some signifiers. A bluebird tattoo on the chest: one for each 1000 miles sailed. (I myself demurred, since 1000 miles steamed is significantly different from 1000 miles going aloft to trim sails) A rooster tattooed on one foot and a pig tattooed on the other. An ancient anti-drowning charm, because chickens and pigs we kept on the topmost decks. But ancient sailors went barefoot, while modern sailors had to wear shoes: which would smudge the healing of tattoos: so again I demurred. A golden ball: a bb-sized nugget of pure Au “glow of sunrise” inserted into a slit made into the scrotum. Good old John McCain was among those who carried this distinction. All frou-frou in the greater view, of course. The true nature of the sailor is to be compelled to perform an act of survival in the face of nature determined to erase all such rationality with brutal force. And that’s a situation we all face. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/155 "2025-10-08T04:24:52Z")
Memphis continues to fly under the radar. It looks like just “combating crime” doesn’t cut it in the zeitgeist of this day and age. But are they combating crime? > [@](#): > > Among those arrested so far by the Memphis Task Force, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Monday said 82 were arrested on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) warrants. > > That’s the second most group of arrests, following behind what the DOJ described as just “warrants.” But immigration advocates are criticizing the tactics they say ICE is using to detain undocumented immigrants, claiming the task force agents are not following through with picking up violent criminals. [Immigration rights advocates say ICE arrests in Memphis not targeting violent criminals | News | fox13memphis.com](https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/advocates-claim-ice-agents-are-not-targeting-violent-criminals/article_624c8e6b-e4ee-4576-ac99-e469e2910694.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawNSRPxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFIcW92elNNUWRmWU1KNGduAR6-hGbPcE2bq2fxMWgkxPaIagKFplrW7u_GgrzH5mcc1JkM5TI24HiIl9rYng_aem_oLzu-_Slhup6eEStCLIcAA) But there is hope! The National Guard was reportedly in the city last week but weren’t anywhere to be seen. Ah ha! They will _likely_ be here on Friday. We’ll see what happens if they show up. > [@](#): > > Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis says National Guard troops are likely to be deployed in the streets of Memphis on Friday, October 10. [National Guard to deploy Friday, Police Chief says](https://www.actionnews5.com/2025/10/07/national-guard-deploy-friday-police-chief-says/) Stay tuned. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/156 "2025-10-08T05:59:00Z")
Something happened on this subject which deserves more attention and analysis: In a CNN interview, lead Trump henchman (slash undead Reinhard Heydrich) Stephen Miller asserts that Trump has “plenary authority.” That means absolute, unconstrained power with no limits or external checks. > **[Plenary power](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plenary_power)** > > A plenary power or plenary authority is a complete and absolute power to take action on a particular issue, with no limitations. It is derived from the Latin term plenus, 'full'. > In United States constitutional law, plenary power is a power that has been granted to a body or person in absolute terms, with no review of or limitations upon the exercise of that power. The assignment of a plenary power to one body divests all other bodies from the right to exercise that power, where not otherwise... Here’s the video where he says it. > It’s obvious he realizes immediately he shouldn’t have said this, because he freezes, and stares silently into the camera, blinking uncomfortably. This is a _wildly_ inflammatory thing to claim, and reveals the White House playbook — they literally do think Trump is a dictator, full stop. Now, obviously, in the specific clip, Miller is speaking in the context of Trump’s authority over the National Guard. The argument can be made that “oh, of course, Miller didn’t mean plenary power over _everything,_ no no no.” First of all: if that’s the case, why does Miller freeze? He says the words, and locks up. CNN cuts to a commercial break, claiming a technical error, and when they resume, Miller changes direction and doesn’t repeat the phrase. And, what’s more, CNN is not offering this clip in their archive. They appear to have scrubbed it. It’s viewable online only by people who captured the recording themselves. There’s discussion of that fact all over the place; example from Reddit: > **[Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://old.reddit.com/r/WatchPeopleDieInside/comments/1o0lx1m/white_house_chief_of_staff_spectacularly_says/niamfgo/)** The more conspiracy-minded commenters believe the most likely explanation is that, during the break, Miller told CNN he misspoke or something, and he didn’t want the anchor to ask him about “plenary power” and the clip should not be repeated or reproduced. It’s also possible that CNN genuinely believes this was some sort of technical glitch and that no value is served by hosting the flawed clip (even though it’s obviously not a glitch; Miller just stops talking and sits blinking). But second, for Miller to assert Trump’s “plenary authority” _at all,_ on _any_ matter, is a massive red flag regarding their expansive concept of presidential power. The limits of the executive have been extensively debated from the earliest days of the United States, and the domains over which the President has absolute, unrestrained power with neither constraint nor external oversight are _extremely_ narrow. For example, he can fire his own immediate staff (e.g. Cabinet positions) more or less at will, but he can’t _replace_ them without Senate confirmation. And he can’t fire _civil service_ staff except with specific cause (this is the basis of the various lawsuits about removing unfriendly FCC commissioners and such). On nearly all matters, the President is obliged to stay within the law, and it’s the _courts_ who tell the White House what that means and set limits on the President’s power. That Miller openly asserted Trump’s “plenary authority” here — or on _anything_ — should be red-alert news. But it’s a wonky, legalistic phrase, the understanding of which requires familiarity with centuries of philosophizing about how government works: > **[Stephen Miller Said the President Has "Plenary Authority," but What Does That...](https://www.distractify.com/p/plenary-authority-meaning)** > > During an interview on CNN, Stephen Miller said that the president had plenary authority, which naturally led some to wonder what that means. So it’s unsurprising that it hasn’t caught much attention outside political-nerd circles. It’s of course obvious that they _think_ this, and have thought it all along, but now they’re actually saying it out loud, literally and explicitly (and then catching themselves). It’s a dictatorship. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/157 "2025-10-08T06:12:28Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > CNN: Stephen? Stephen? Can you hear me? > > … > > CNN: It seems like we’re having a technical issue. Yep. Technically, Miller’s another traitor. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/158 "2025-10-08T10:51:15Z")
Following up to add further information on the “plenary” thing above: CNN’s official YouTube post of the interview silently edits out this glitch moment. Just skips over it, omitting it entirely. They’re getting roasted in the comments for it, too. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wLxq0JGmpjA/maxresdefault.jpg "‘Not an open rebellion’: Sanchez questions Stephen Miller calling protesters ‘street terrorists") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLxq0JGmpjA) Also, participants in the Law subreddit are going absolutely apeshit about all this. > **[Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://www.reddit.com/r/law/comments/1o0ks4e/stephen_miller_states_that_trump_has_plenary/)** ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/159 "2025-10-08T12:50:29Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Miller just stops talking and sits blinking Maybe he caught whatever Mitch McConnell has. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021/160 "2025-10-08T13:35:29Z")
And now Trump wants to jail Pritzker and the mayor of Chicago because they won’t bend the knee. > **[Trump says Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson 'should be in...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-says-gov-jb-pritzker-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-jail-rcna236339)** > > The president's Truth Social post comes one day after federalized National Guard troops arrived in Illinois. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martial-law-in-todays-america-daily-report/1022021.md?page=9)