Pentagon Debunks False Rumor About U.S. Troops Using Force

U.S. troopers prepare to board U.S. Army CH-47s at Paredes Air Station at Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte province as it carries U.S. and Philippine troops during a joint military exercise in northern P

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.