In recent weeks, online users have been sharing a rumor claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 on April 20, 2025, followed by declaring martial law across the country.
The Insurrection Act allows a president to deploy the military within the United States to assist with law enforcement during times of civil unrest, but it does not explicitly grant the power to declare martial law.
This rumor, which originated from a blog post on Medium.com by a writer using the handle “Aletheisthenes,” has spread widely across social media platforms including Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky.
The source article was part of a series titled “The Coup Playbook: How They Quietly Kill the Constitution and Democracy in the Coming Weeks and Months.” In it, Aletheisthenes predicted that April 20 would mark a turning point into authoritarian rule in the U.S.
Origin of the April 20 Date
The date ties back to an executive order issued by Trump on January 20, 2025, which declared a national emergency at the southern U.S. border.
The order instructed the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to deliver a joint report within 90 days, by April 20, advising whether to invoke the Insurrection Act. The order did not mention martial law.
This small detail was interpreted by some online users as a sign of impending military control. Some even referenced April 20 as being Hitler’s birthday, suggesting sinister intent.
One Facebook user wrote, “He’s setting us up for Martial Law… April 20.” Another post read, “Upcoming MAGA special events… April 20. Trump declares martial law in the United States of America.”
No Evidence Yet
As of April 11, 2025, there has been no official statement from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, or the White House confirming or even addressing the rumor.
Searches across their official websites reveal no announcements or updates related to invoking the Insurrection Act or declaring martial law.
The rumor, at this point, remains speculative and unverified.
Claims in the Blog Post
In the Medium article, Aletheisthenes outlined a series of predicted events that would supposedly follow the Insurrection Act being triggered, ranging from false flag operations at peaceful protests to the arrest of journalists and politicians, press censorship, military takeovers of major U.S. cities, and even postponed elections.
The blog warned that unless action was taken before April 20, it might be “too late” by April 23.
Subsequent articles by the same author encouraged readers to prepare for the worst by buying survival supplies, emergency food, and water filters. One post even advised readers to use AI tools to verify the logic of these predictions.
Interview with the Blogger
When contacted by email, Aletheisthenes stood by the claims. The blogger stated, “Trump has a history of testing what he can and can’t do. The guardrails from his first administration are gone.”
The blogger was also shown a legal article by Joseph Nunn, counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, which refutes the idea that the Insurrection Act gives any president the power to declare martial law.
According to Nunn:
“The Insurrection Act generally permits the military to assist civilian authorities, not take their place. Under current law, the president has no authority to declare martial law.”
When asked about this contradiction, Aletheisthenes admitted to toning down the original headline from “will cross the point of no return” to “may cross” due to criticism.
They also confirmed they had purchased survival rations and water filters, stating, “If things go bad, I know I tried. And maybe by talking about it… It’ll stop it from happening. And I just look like a crazy man. Which… I can live with.”
Has Trump Mentioned Martial Law Before?
Historically, Trump has been accused of toying with the idea of martial law. In December 2020, The New York Times reported that Trump floated the idea during an Oval Office meeting after the 2020 election, allegedly suggesting martial law to rerun the vote. He later denied this in a tweet, calling it “Fake News.”
In June 2020, Trump also threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops during nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd.
Understanding the Insurrection Act
The Insurrection Act of 1807, introduced by President Thomas Jefferson, allows the President to use U.S. military forces to suppress rebellion or enforce federal laws when states are unable or unwilling to do so.
The original text of the act, which can be viewed in the Library of Congress archives here, outlines these powers.
The most recent use of the act was in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush deployed military forces at the request of California’s governor to handle unrest in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict.