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In an Instagram video, a claim circulates alleging that the Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 5240.01 has been amended, granting the military the authority to use lethal force against U.S. citizens. However, this assertion is categorically false, as confirmed by a DOD spokesperson’s statement to Check Your Fact.
Recent events have witnessed an increase in ISIS suspects in Syria and Iraq, though their influence is waning, as reported by CBS News. Amidst this context, the video in question suggests that the DOD directive, while updated periodically, has purportedly undergone a revision approved by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, effective September 27th. The alleged amendment supposedly overrides the Posse Comitatus laws, enabling the military to employ lethal force against civilians if directed by the DOD.
🚨 Breaking 🚨
The Department of Defense Directive 5240.01 was quietly amended recently. While this has been updated several times, the amendments never deviated from its fundamental purpose of intelligence collection to intercept threats. The most recent revision, approved by… pic.twitter.com/7MpTBFhfnO— Chad Robichaux (@ChadRobo) October 19, 2024
However, DOD spokesperson Sue Gough emphatically debunked this claim, stating, “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 further clarified that while the referenced paragraph is new to the directive, it does not reflect any policy change regarding the use of lethal force by DOD personnel.
The spokesperson also dismissed any speculation about the directive’s release being timed in relation to the election or any other event, asserting, “the release was in no way timed in relation to the election or any other event.”
