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

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. 

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. 

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. 

The Pentagon regularly updates its directives. This update, which happened on Sept. 27, was intended to align the language on use of force from other policies into 5240.01, which only applies to defense intelligence personnel. 

The directive says the Secretary of Defense must sign off on "Assistance in responding with assets with potential for lethality, 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." 

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

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