Synopsis:  What happens when the President threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act? Two leading voices weigh in on how Congress, veterans, and citizens can push back against rising militarization.

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Description [original air-date November 2025]:  The U.S. military is sworn to serve the Constitution, but that’s getting complicated under Donald Trump. The President has deployed National Guard troops to half a dozen U.S. cities against the wishes of local officials and ICE agents are roaming around communities acting under unclear rules. Now the President is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act. What difference would that make? Laura’s guests are U.S. House Representative Pramila Jayapal and Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck, who say it’s time to reject authoritarianism and uphold the Constitution. Congresswoman Jayapal is the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and represents Washington State’s 7th Congressional District. She has been at the forefront of congressional oversight and opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Captain Goldbeck is CEO of Vet Voice, a national nonprofit that mobilizes veterans and military families to shape American democracy and defend the values they swore to protect. What can Congress, veterans and the general public do to stop the militarization of our cities? Join us for this powerful conversation, plus a commentary on the other times that the U.S. government has turned its military inward.

Note: This conversation took place prior to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in MN]

“What we're seeing now is the president attempting to reshape the U.S. military into a tool of his own domestic political control . . . And then to deploy uniformed service members and the National Guard across the country against the wishes of local elected leaders . . . I feel a lot of sadness and frustration on behalf of those who are serving in uniform today who are being put into this very partisan political position by the United States president.” - Janessa Goldbeck

“What law enforcement should be doing — of any kind, whether it's ICE, National Guard, whoever — is trying to deescalate. What we clearly see this set of military actors doing is escalate, right? When you crack down brutally, when you shoot a rubber bullet at a faith leader in Chicago, or when you violently push someone down to the ground, who by the way happens to be the father of three U.S. Marines . . . I think that is really an attempt to suppress any kind of dissent.” - Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Guests:

•  Captain Janessa Goldbeck: Marine Corps Veteran; CEO, Vet Voice Foundation

•  Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: D-WA, 7th Congressional District

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RESOURCES:

Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:

•  Another January 6 Insurrection? 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation

•  Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut

•  Inside the MAGA Movement: What Happens Now?:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation

 

Related Articles and Resources:

•  The Resistance Lab, grassroots trainings led by Pramila Jayapal and thought leaders from across the movement. 

•  Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form ‘quick reaction forces’ for ‘crowd control’ by Aaron Glantz, October 29, 2025, The Guardian

•  Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal at No Kings protest Seattle:  ‘We are the people’s movement that will save our democracy’, October 18, 2025 - Watch - King5.com

•  Former Military Leaders Decry National Guard Deployment in Illinois, by Hannah Meisel, Capitol News Illinois, October 16, 2025, WTTW-PBS

•  Where has Trump suggested sending troops?  In cities run by Democratic mayors, by Juliana Kim, October 16, 2025, NPR

•. We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents.  They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days. by Nicole Foy & photography by Sarahbeth Maney,  October 16, 2025, ProPublica

•. Trump open to invoking the Insurrection Act, by Irie Sentner, October 6, 2025, Politico

•  FAQ on Refusing Illegal Orders, by JMB, June 18, 2025, Military Law Task Force

 

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.

Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper

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