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

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 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.