President Donald Trump uncorked a startling remark Monday night, asserting that Portland, Oregon, is committing an "insurrection" as his administration deploys military troops in a controversial attempt to curb crime among American citizens.

The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the president to send the U.S. military or federalize National Guard units to suppress insurrection, rebellion, or obstruction of federal law enforcement if local authorities can't or won't maintain order.

On Monday night, Newsmax host Greg Kelly asked the president whether he would formally invoke the act.

"Is that a kind of way to get around all this opposition?" asked Kelly.

"Well, it is a way to get around it. If we don't have to use it, I wouldn't use it," Trump replied.

The president then doubled down on his claims that Portland is under siege from violent protesters.

"If you take a look at what's been going on in Portland, it's been going on for a long time. That's insurrection. I mean, that's pure insurrection," he said.

Trump, who previously described the city as "like living hell," then falsely claimed the city is "burning down."

State and local officials have responded to Trump's attacks on Portland, with Mayor Keith Wilson saying in a news release, "We are proud that Portland police have successfully protected freedom of expression while addressing occasional violence and property destruction that takes place during protests at the ICE facility in Portland."

"We anticipate that the site, and the half-block surrounding it, will continue to be a focus of protests. Portland will continue to rise to the moment as a proud sanctuary city, taking legal action to stand up for our community and our rights," he said.

Oregon Attorney Dan Rayfield previously vowed to take Trump to court if he sends troops to Oregon.

"Although some threats from the Trump administration may be new or surprising, this one is not: we’ve been preparing to respond since Trump returned to office," Rayfield said. "We’re actively preparing for various scenarios, in coordination with key partners in Oregon, and our multistate AG coalition."

Trump himself faced accusations of inciting an insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. However, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team ultimately decided against charging Trump under the federal insurrection law.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) issued a grim warning about America's health care system during an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Monday.

"We have a broken health care system; everybody knows that," Sanders said. "And Trump is not wrong when he says the system is not working very well, but he is making it far worse. And honestly, as the former chair of the health committee, I worry very, very much that he could literally collapse the entire system."

Sanders' comments come at a time when Republicans and Democrats are negotiating over health care policy as part of the government shutdown. Republicans have proposed a continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of the year that maintains steep health care cuts implemented by Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill." Democrats are seeking to reverse those cuts.

"We don't have enough doctors right now," Sanders said. "Who in the world is going to become a doctor in the midst of all of this? We pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, for health care in general. Our life expectancy is lower than other major countries. So we have a system deeply in trouble. He is taking it to the verge of collapse."

ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum is eyeing a run for Senate in Alabama as a Republican — and it's causing tension between himself and his network, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

Feinbaum, who would be running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, sat for an interview with Clay Travis on the right-wing sports website Outkick, where "not only did he express an interest in running for office, spurred in large part by the killing of Charlie Kirk, but Finebaum accused ESPN of preventing him from interviewing Donald Trump on his show in 2019."

Travis initially reported that ESPN had sidelined Finebaum from the network altogether, but an ESPN communications staffer promptly posted to X that this claim was "TOTALLY FALSE."

Nonetheless, said the report, "several people familiar with Finebaum’s situation offered competing views of what’s happening at the network. ESPN, one person said, has rotating schedules and could be looking for new talent to replace Finebaum in the event he actually leaves to get into politics. He’s expected back on 'Get Up' on Tuesday, that person said. Others found it beyond coincidence that the week after Finebaum had gone scorched earth on ESPN, he was suddenly less visible, especially during the heart of college football season."

Travis, who sold Outkick to Fox Corporation four years ago, has a vested interest in accusing ESPN of liberal bias, the report noted.

Meanwhile, said the report, "Politico’s Jonathan Martin reported that Finebaum’s political aspirations are serious and that he will visit Washington in October to meet with Republicans. Finebaum also has a contract that runs into 2027, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. That would suggest telling Travis about his plans and that he voted for Trump were not a contract negotiation ploy. (That theory, which circulated around ESPN, posited that Finebaum could be more valuable to the network and harder to cut ties with as a celebrated cause in conservative circles.)"

Tuberville upended Alabama politics earlier this year by announcing his bid for governor, in what has been perceived by some political observers as part of a larger exodus of senators frustrated with the bleakness of operating in Congress these days.