When Power Turns on the People: Kirk Cameron, the Insurrection Act, and a Christian Warning
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Have you ever thought of your faith as a threat to other communities or nations? I know I haven’t, but I’ve also been a Christian since I was in the womb. Is this something that those living in the U.S. and beyond need to become more aware of?
In recent news, American actor, author, evangelist, and producer Kirk Cameron brings up this very point. Making a controversial TikTok video that’s gone viral, Cameron explains that President Trump is sending the National Guard to stop violent crime, protect federal agents, and defend cities that seem out of control. This might also include an invocation of the Insurrection Act.
The Insurrection Act, in case you’re unfamiliar, is a law from 1807 that allows the current president to deploy the military in the United States. According to PBS, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that ” he is ‘allowed’ to use it if courts deny his efforts to send the National Guard to U.S. cities.
The concern with this action isn’t the abuse or overuse of power, but the fear that if this insurrection is used for everyday unrest, what happens when the next president decides that you are a threat? “What if a future president, a far-left president, declares Christians, homeschoolers, and conservative voices are domestic extremists?” asks Cameron.
When power promises protection, how can believers stay vigilant to ensure that freedom of faith and conscience aren’t quietly surrendered in the name of safety?
What’s Truly at Stake
While I don’t believe Cameron meant to cause any strife, his questions have many Christians concerned. And rightly so. An Insurrection Act is an emergency power allowing the president to deploy the military domestically during civil unrest. President Kennedy originally invoked this act in 1807, and it was most recently used in 1992 when massive riots broke out in LA over the acquittal of police officers beating a black man (Rodney King). At the time, President George Bush sent in active-duty members of the Marines and the Army to help settle the dispute.
The U.S. government has typically worked to limit the use of military forces on American soil. Since returning to office, however, Trump has declared his authority by “declaring national emergencies, which gives the president access to powers and resources that are normally restricted” (BBC). Cameron’s concern that a future president may declare Christians as domestic extremists isn’t just fear or paranoia, but a cautionary reminder of how unchecked power can shift targets over time.
As Cameron adds: “Would we have any moral ground left to stand on when those powers are turned on us?”
The Comments
Wanda Bradshaw
I don’t agree with Donald Trump is doing I didn’t vote for him. But I do pray for him. I am a Christian then ever since I was 17. I’m 64 now.
And I pray that same prayer, the bible talks about turning his hardest stone into a heart of flesh but I also don’t argue politics or bash. Anybody in with name calling?
Adults are the worst people doing that kind of behavior. I pray for them because I’ve always been taught to love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you Bless Those who curse you and to pray for those who spitefully use you.
ambernginter
> Wanda BradshawHi, Wanda! hank you so much for sharing this. Your heart really shines through, and I have so much respect for the way you’re choosing to live out your faith.
I completely agree—praying for our leaders, refusing to get pulled into name-calling, and striving to love even when it’s hard are powerful, Christlike choices. It’s so easy to get swept up in the anger and division around us, but what you shared reflects the way Jesus calls us to respond: with compassion, humility, and prayer.
My goal is never to argue politics or stir up hostility, but to encourage thoughtful, faith-rooted conversations in a world that desperately needs more grace. Thank you for reminding us what that looks like in practice.
I’m grateful you’re here.
A Christian
Wow! I just subscribed and received my second newsletter from you. I really enjoyed reading it and thought I’d found someone I could follow. Them I read your article on President Trump and the Insurrection Act.
You don’t think it’s called for with all the murders happening in Chicago and other cities? The pro Palestinian groups wreaking havoc,carrying Palestinian flags and screaming for Jewish people’s deaths, and our ICE officers being shot at, injured and their addresses being posted online; threatening their families-including children; you don’t think there is cause for this?
ambernginter
> A ChristianThank you so much for subscribing and for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I truly appreciate you being here and engaging with the content.
I hear your concerns—violence, hatred, and threats toward any group of people are heartbreaking and absolutely serious. We’re living in a time where tensions are high and fear is real, and I don’t take that lightly.
My intention in that article wasn’t to dismiss the gravity of what’s happening, but to speak to the importance of wisdom, discernment, and careful use of power—especially when it comes to laws that can have long-lasting impacts on civil liberties. Christians can care deeply about safety, justice, and order while also caring about how those solutions are carried out.
I respect that you see things differently, and I’m grateful you felt comfortable enough to share your perspective. My hope is that this space remains one where we can wrestle with hard issues together through a lens of faith, compassion, and truth.
Thanks again for being here with me.