US President Donald Trump announced on January 31, 2026, that he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not to intervene in protests or unrest in Democratic‑led cities unless those cities specifically ask for federal help or federal property is threatened. The announcement was made in a post on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
As per reports, Trump wrote that, “I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, 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 also said the federal government will still act to protect its own buildings if they are under threat.
Donald Trump: Federal Officers Will Still Guard Government Buildings
Trump added in his post that federal officers “will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists.” He warned there would be consequences for violence against law enforcement and federal property.
Reports say that, under the new directive, local and state governments are responsible for protecting their own streets and public spaces. Trump wrote that cities must protect their own state and local properties, and only ask the federal government for help when needed. He even suggested local leaders should explicitly use the word “please” when requesting federal help.
Rising Protests Across the US
Donald Trump’s order comes as there are widespread protests in cities like Minneapolis. The demonstrators have called for the removal of federal immigration agents after controversial incidents, which include the shooting deaths of US citizens during clashes with federal officers. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in various cities to oppose what they view as heavy‑handed federal enforcement.
The directive also reflects a shift after the federal government previously sent about 3,000 federal officers to Minneapolis as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration. This move had sparked tension with local officials. Trump has defended federal deployments as necessary for enforcing immigration laws and public safety, even as many Democratic mayors and governors criticized them.
ICE and Border Patrol to Continue Duties
Trump made clear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol personnel would continue to guard federal buildings, even while DHS stays out of protests in cities that don’t ask for help.
This announcement is taking place in a broader context of rising protests and civil unrest over federal immigration policy and law enforcement in the US.
