© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Insurrection Act's powers as Trump threatens to use it

Season 2026 Episode 15 | 5m 52s

President Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act is sparking concern among critics who warn that the law's sweeping powers make it easy to misuse, particularly in moments of domestic unrest. To help us understand what’s at stake, Geoff Bennett spoke with Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Consumer Cellular and Cunard Cruise Line. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.
Extras
June 12, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
White House UFC event spotlights Trump’s decades-long partnership with Dana White
'Close doesn't count': Mideast experts assess potential U.S.-Iran agreement
What the U.S. and Iran are demanding in the latest peace proposal
How Gaza's students are still learning despite shattered schools and displacement
Bruce Springsteen on 'critical patriotism' and the power of protest music
Brooks and Capehart on the tradeoffs of a possible U.S.-Iran deal
News Wrap: Judge says Kennedy Center must remove Trump's name by Friday deadline
Remembering revolutionary painter David Hockney and his artistic legacy
Why SpaceX is rocketing toward largest IPO in stock market history