A viral rumor circulating online claims that President Donald Trump is planning to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 and declare martial law on or after April 20, 2025. The claims originated from a series of blog posts on Medium and have since been widely shared across platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky.
But is there any truth to these alarming predictions? Here’s a breakdown of the facts.
The Origin of the Rumor
The narrative stems from a series of articles written by a blogger under the pseudonym Aletheisthenes, who published a piece titled “The Coup Playbook: How They Quietly Kill the Constitution and Democracy in the Coming Weeks and Months.” The article predicted that the U.S. would “initiate its final steps into authoritarian rule” on April 20, 2025.
According to the blogger, this supposed shift would begin with Trump invoking the Insurrection Act, leading to sweeping crackdowns including military occupation of cities, censorship, mass arrests, and postponed elections.
However, no government agency has confirmed such plans.
What the Executive Order Actually Says
The rumor points to a real executive order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term. The order declares a national emergency at the southern U.S. border and directs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to issue a joint report within 90 days — by April 20 — advising whether invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 would be appropriate.
Importantly, the executive order does not mention martial law. The report is meant to assess security at the border, not to trigger nationwide military rule.
What is the Insurrection Act of 1807?
The Insurrection Act allows the president to deploy U.S. military forces to assist with law enforcement in times of civil unrest or insurrection, but it does not authorize martial law.
According to legal experts, including Joseph Nunn of the Brennan Center for Justice, the Insurrection Act enables the military to support civilian government, not replace it. In a 2022 article, Nunn wrote:
“Under current law, the president has no authority to declare martial law.”
The last known invocation of the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush sent troops to Los Angeles at the request of California’s governor during riots following the Rodney King verdict.
What Does “Martial Law” Actually Mean?
Martial law is an extreme measure where civilian government is suspended, and military authorities take control. It’s rarely used in U.S. history and carries serious legal and constitutional implications.
Experts emphasize that there is no clear legal authority for the president to unilaterally declare martial law nationwide — and no precedent for doing so in modern history.
Who Is Aletheisthenes?
The author behind the rumor, known only as Aletheisthenes, described himself as motivated by a desire to “save the Constitution.” In interviews, he admitted to changing his article’s headline from stating Trump “will” act on April 20 to Trump “may,” in response to criticism.
He also revealed that he has stocked up on six months’ worth of survival rations and water filters — actions he encourages readers to replicate.
Though some readers are treating these predictions seriously, they remain speculative and unsupported by official sources.
No Official Confirmation or Evidence
As of April 10, no official statements have been released by the White House, Department of Defense, or Department of Homeland Security confirming any intention to invoke the Insurrection Act or declare martial law.
Searches of government websites and responses to press inquiries have yielded no evidence to support the claims.
Conclusion: Rumor, Not Reality
At this time, the idea that President Trump will declare martial law on April 20 is a prediction, not a proven fact. While political tensions remain high and misinformation spreads quickly online, it’s essential to rely on verifiable sources and credible legal analysis.
We will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Sources:
- Brennan Center for Justice
- The White House
- U.S. Code (10 USC Chapter 13)
- Library of Congress
- Snopes
- The New York Times
- Medium.com
