A new federal directive authorized last month that could potentially legalize military action against citizens on U.S. soil is "worrisome," Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., told Newsmax Wednesday.
The Biden-Harris administration updated DOD Directive 5240.01 on Sept. 27 to include provisions authorizing lethal force in certain circumstances when assisting civilian law enforcement.
Harris told the "Chris Salcedo Show," "This is very worrisome. I think there's a reason why, you know, it's released kind of without Congress being around, without publicly saying that we have a real change in Department of Defense policy. But this is very scary."
He told host Chris Salcedo: "This is exactly what the Democrats said Trump would do. And they're doing it. I mean, this means that after an election, they could declare national emergency and literally call out the Army in the United States, because all you have to do is declare a national security emergency."
Harris added, "And you know that the Democrats are unwound enough if they lose the election that they would do that."
Harris said when Congress returns to Washington after the election, he expects lawmakers will discuss the directive. "This is a major step, when you, when you increase the ability of your own Department of Defense. And it doesn't say, you know, we're going to go after criminals. It just says 'U.S. Persons.' It doesn't say how the intelligence is going to be used. It doesn't say what the protections are," he said.
"Again, look, this is like [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] all over. I mean, this is, this is the left state wanting to basically know everything that everybody does without any protections for civil liberties. It's totally uncalled for."
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Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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