Headline Roundup • June 3rd, 2020
Pentagon Chief Does Not Support Invoking Insurrection Act
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CNN Digital
Washington (CNN)Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Wednesday that he does not support using active duty troops to quell the large-scale protests across the United States triggered by the death of George Floyd and those forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a last resort, directly contradicting President Donald Trump.
"The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in...
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday he does not support invoking a law that would allow President Trump to use the U.S. military for domestic law enforcement amid nationwide protests surrounding the death of George Floyd.
"I've always believed and continue to believe that the National Guard is best suited for performing domestic support to civil authorities in these situations in support of local law enforcement," Esper said at a news conference Wednesday.
"I say this not only as secretary of Defense, but also as a former soldier and a...

Washington Times
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday he opposes using the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to American cities to quell riots and protests.
In a press conference at the Pentagon, Mr. Esper said the use of active-duty troops should be a βlast resortβ for the country, and he does not believe such a course is necessary or appropriate right now. President Trump earlier this week threatened to invoke the 1807 law if governors do not activate National Guard forces to control crowds and stop widespread looting. Protests have...
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