The Pentagon released a statement on Thursday addressing a rumor circulating online that falsely claims U.S. troops are authorized to use force against American citizens during the election period. The misinformation, spread by individuals including former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., suggests that a Defense Department policy revision in late September was intended to interfere with the upcoming presidential election.
The rumor alleges that a recent Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5240.01 grants the Pentagon the unprecedented power to use lethal force against Americans protesting government policies on U.S. soil. However, U.S. law strictly prohibits federal troops from using force against civilians on American soil, except in cases of self-defense as outlined in the Posse Comitatus Act.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough clarified that the revision in question, DODD 5240.01, does not authorize the use of force on U.S. citizens. The timing of the directive's release was unrelated to the election and was part of the Pentagon's routine updates to align language on the use of force from various policies into a single directive applicable only to defense intelligence personnel.
The directive specifies that defense intelligence components may provide assistance to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies in life-threatening situations, subject to approval by the Secretary of Defense. This assistance may include intelligence, analysis, training, equipment, and weapons, but does not grant defense intelligence personnel the authority to use force themselves.
In conclusion, the Pentagon emphasized that the policies outlined in DODD 5240.01 are not new and do not permit the use of lethal force against U.S. citizens or individuals within the United States, contrary to the misinformation circulating on social media. The directive serves to clarify the role of defense intelligence personnel in providing support to law enforcement agencies in critical situations.
