Pentagon denies false claim that Biden-Harris administration authorized troops to use force against Americans

The pentagon issued an unusual statement Thursday debunking a rumor spread online that falsely claims that 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 suggesting that a Defense Department policy review in late September was scheduled to interfere with the Nov. 5 presidential election.

“… Biden/Harris “We just pushed through Department of Defense Directive 5240.01 that gives the Pentagon the power, for the first time in history, to use lethal force to kill Americans on American soil who are protesting government policies,” Kennedy posted in X for his 4 millions of followers.

US law prohibits federal troops on US soil from using force against US civilians, except in cases of self-defense as described in the Posse Comitatus Act.

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The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The revision cited, Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5240.01, does not allow troops to use force against American citizens. The timing of its release was not related to the election, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough told The Associated Press.

“The policies regarding DOD use of force addressed in DoDD 5240.01 are not new and do not authorize DOD to use deadly force against U.S. citizens or persons located within the United States, contrary to rumors and rhetoric that circulate on social networks.” Gough said in a statement.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks Oct. 21 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

The Pentagon periodically updates its directives. This update, which occurred on September 27, was intended to align use-of-force language from other policies in 5240.01, which only applies to defense intelligence personnel.

“Defense Intelligence Components may provide personnel to assist a federal department or agency, including a law enforcement agency, or a state or local law enforcement agency when lives are at risk, in response to a request for such assistance,” it says.

The directive says the Secretary of Defense must approve “Assistance in responding with potentially lethal assets, 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 about the Department of Defense directive. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

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Defense intelligence personnel are permitted to provide intelligence, analysis, training, equipment and weapons to civil authorities. However, they themselves cannot use force.

Greg Norman of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.