Heilemann said on "Morning Joe" that the president was using the law enforcement order as a trial balloon for using federal troops to stay in power should he lose the election in November.

"So, undermining a form of voting that we know is going to be more important in 2020 than ever, because of coronavirus, telling us that he's not necessarily prepared to accept the result of the election, using federal forces against peaceful protesters outside the White House and now in Portland," said Heilemann. "And increasingly encroaching on the state policing power, you know, they're trying to make it sound like Chicago is going to be different but he's setting precedents now."

The president has faced criticism after it was reported that many local governments rejected the offer of help from federal law enforcement but Trump decided to send officers anyway. Some argued that this was a breach of the balance of power between the states and the federal government.