The Posse Comitatus Act Explained
9th June 2025
The Posse Comitatus Act bars federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement except when expressly authorized by law. This 143-year-old law embodies an American tradition that sees military interference in civilian affairs as a threat to both democracy and personal liberty. However, recent events have revealed dangerous gaps in the law’s coverage that Congress must address.
I suspect the author to be of the progressive persuasion, if not an actual Trump-hater. But this is the only useful discussion of the Act that I could find, and people need to know about it.