The Pentagon released an unusual statement Thursday debunking a rumor spread online that falsely claims U.S. troops are authorized to use force against American citizens during the election.
Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others have spread inaccurate information that suggests a Defense Department policy revision in late September was timed to interfere with the Nov. 5 presidential election.
“… Biden/Harris have just pushed through DoD Directive 5240.01 giving the Pentagon power — for the first time in history — to use lethal force to kill Americans on U.S. soil who protest government policies,” Kennedy posted on X to his 4 million followers.
U.S. law prohibits federal troops on American soil from using force against U.S. civilians, except in cases of self-defense as outlined in the Posse Comitatus Act.
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The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)
The cited revision, Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5240.01, does not allow troops to use force on U.S. citizens. The timing of its release was not related to the election, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough told The Associated Press.
“The policies concerning the use of force by DOD addressed in DoDD 5240.01 are not new, and do not authorize the DOD to use lethal force against U.S. citizens or people located inside the United States, contrary to rumors and rhetoric circulating on social media,” Gough said in a statement.
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks on Oct. 21 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The Pentagon regularly updates its directives. This update, which happened on Sept. 27, was intended to align the language on use of force from other policies into 5240.01, which only applies to defense intelligence personnel.
“Defense Intelligence Components may provide personnel to assist a Federal department or agency, including a Federal law enforcement agency, or a State or local law enforcement agency when lives are in danger, in response to a request for such assistance,” it says.
The directive says the Secretary of Defense must sign off on “Assistance in responding with assets with potential for lethality, or any situation in which it is reasonably foreseeable that providing the requested assistance may involve the use of force that is likely to result in lethal force, including death or serious bodily injury.”
Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spread inaccurate information surrounding the Department of Defense directive. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
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Defense intelligence personnel are permitted to supply intelligence, analysis, training, equipment and weapons to civilian authorities. However, they cannot use force themselves.
Fox News’ Greg Norman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
