As Trump sends the National Guard into US cities, right-wing media celebrate and call protests “an insurrection”

• Right-leaning Twitch streamer Zack Hoyt, known online as Asmongold, stated that units responding to the protests “should use actual ammo,” adding, “If anybody throws a rock or tries to harm one of the police officers, I think they should just use deadly force to stop it from happening.” Apparently responding to a comment from his chat, Hoyt continued, “Yeah, shoot on sight? Absolutely. Yeah, of course. … You’d really be surprised how fast it stops after more than one or two people get shot for being violent.” [YouTube, AsmongoldTV, 10/5/25; Media Matters, 3/14/25]
• Kayleigh McEnany attempted to justify the deployment of the National Guard by declaring there is “a pretty clear rebellion against” the government. McEnany cited supposed acts of violence committed against ICE agents, and she additionally argued that Trump is on “strong legal footing” because “you can federalize the Guard if there’s a rebellion.” [Fox News, The Five, 10/6/25]
• Right-wing media figure Laura Loomer suggested that the Trump administration should “start authorizing police to use lethal force” on protesters “who are getting extremely violent, and they are either attacking a U.S. citizen or they put their hands on a police officer or they’re threatening violence or they’re threatening the life of a police officer or a federal agent.” She also called the protests a “national security threat.” [Rumble, Loomer Unleashed, 10/3/25]
• Newsmax host Rob Finnerty said Portland protests had “morphed into an insurrection.” Finnerty said: “This invasion of the weird is very bizarre,” adding, “Notice the foreign flags and strange tribal chants happening — again — in Oregon.” [Newsmax, Finnerty, 10/2/25]
• Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton: “This is an insurrection, and @GovPritzker is implicated. President @RealDonaldTrump should invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy military assets to protect life and limb and property.” [Twitter/X, 10/4/25]
• Right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong said of reports on Chicago police: “This is an insurrection.” [Twitter/X, 10/6/25]
• On Steve Bannon’s War Room, right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec said, “Portland as a city is now in open insurrection against the federal government.” Posobiec argued, “This is an actual insurrection scenario whereby in you have local officials that are completely defying the unmitigated right, the unlimited right of the federal government to enforce immigration laws.” He also posted on social media that the city “has fallen to Antifa.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/6/25; Twitter/X, 10/6/25] 

Media Matters is maintaining a database of online shows with a right-leaning or left-leaning ideological bent, including those that self-categorize in nonpolitical categories such as comedy, sports, and culture but which we determined regularly cover news and politics. This report draws upon that ongoing research in categorizing the online shows mentioned.