The Pentagon recently addressed and debunked a false rumor circulating online that claimed U.S. troops had been granted authority to use force against American citizens during the election period. The misinformation, spread by individuals including former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., alleged that a Defense Department policy revision in late September allowed for the use of lethal force against protesters of government policies on U.S. soil.
However, U.S. law strictly prohibits federal troops from employing force against civilians on American soil, except in cases of self-defense as outlined in the Posse Comitatus Act. The Defense Department Directive 5240.01, which was cited in the rumor, does not grant troops the power to use force against U.S. citizens. Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough clarified that the timing of the directive's release was unrelated to the election and that the policies outlined in it are not new.
Gough emphasized that the directive does not authorize the Department of Defense to use lethal force against U.S. citizens or individuals within the United States, contrary to the misinformation being spread on social media platforms. The update to Directive 5240.01 was part of the Pentagon's routine process of aligning language on the use of force from various policies into a single document, specifically applicable to defense intelligence personnel.
The directive outlines the type of support that defense intelligence personnel can provide to civilian law enforcement in situations where a confrontation or potential use of force may occur. These personnel are permitted to offer intelligence, analysis, training, equipment, and weapons to civilian authorities but are not authorized to engage in the use of force themselves.
