Intercessor, have you heard of the Pentagon’s new Directive 5240.01? This recently-adopted directive authorizes the use lethal force against America citizens.

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IFA CPO Kris Kubal discussed this directive in yesterday’s webcast:

This new directive is almost too shocking to believe. It empowers the military to assist local law enforcement in responding political unrest with various assets. But just what kind of assistance can the Department of Defense offer? This is cexplained in section 3.2 of the directive:

a. In accordance with Section 2.6 of E.O. 12333, as amended, unless otherwise precluded by such E.O. or applicable law, Presidential directive, other E.O., or policy, and except as indicated in Paragraphs 1.1.b. and 3.1. of this issuance, the following Defense Intelligence Component intelligence assistance to any Federal department or agency, including a Federal law enforcement agency, or to a State or local law enforcement agency when lives are in danger, are authorized:

(1) Cooperating with appropriate law enforcement agencies to protect the IC’s employees, information, property, and facilities of any element.

(2) Unless otherwise precluded by law or E.O. 12333, participating in law enforcement activities to investigate or prevent clandestine intelligence activities by foreign powers or their agents, international terrorist activities, or international narcotics activities.

(3) Providing specialized equipment, technical knowledge, or assistance of expert personnel for use by any Federal department or agency, or when lives are endangered, to support State and local law enforcement agencies. The Defense Intelligence Component’s legal office, subject to Paragraph 2.2.c., will approve assistance from expert personnel in each case.

(4) When lives are in danger, rendering any other lawful assistance to law enforcement agencies or other civil authorities provided such assistance is consistent with, and has been approved by an official pursuant to Section 2 of this issuance. Such official will ensure that the legal office of the providing DoD Component concurs in such assistance.

(5) Dissemination of intelligence information where such information may be relevant to a violation of any Federal or State law within the recipient’s jurisdiction, in accordance with Section 271 of Title 10, U.S.C.

(6) Disseminating lawfully collected information reasonably believed to indicate a violation of Federal, State, local, or foreign laws, in accordance with the August 22, 1995 Memorandum of Understanding between the DoD and the Department of Justice, or other applicable memorandums of understanding.

So the DOD can provide local law enforcement with “specialized equipment” as well as “other lawful assistance.” But when can this assistance be provided, and what are law enforcement officers supposed to do with it? Section 3.3 explains:

(1) The Secretary of Defense may approve any type of requested permissible assistance described in Paragraph 3.2.

(2) The decision to approve requests for these types of permissible assistance described in Paragraph 3.2. to law enforcement agencies and other civil authorities are reserved to the Secretary of Defense:

(a) Provision of personnel to support response efforts for civil disturbances, which may also require Presidential authorization.

(b) DoD response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive incidents.

(c) 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. It also includes all support to civilian law enforcement officials in situations where a confrontation between civilian law enforcement and civilian individuals or groups is reasonably anticipated. Such use of force must be in accordance with DoDD 5210.56, potentially as further restricted based on the specifics of the requested support.

(d) Provision or use of DoD unmanned systems in the United States except as delegated by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to the October 31, 2023 Secretary of Defense Memorandum.

Did you catch that? The Secretary of Defense can provide “assets with potential for lethality” when “a confrontation between civilian law enforcement and civilian individuals or groups is reasonably anticipated.” In other words, if the DOD expects conflict between civilians and cops, it can provide the cops with lethal assets.

It is bad enough that this directive authorizes the use of lethal force against civilians, but there are also no real constraints. The Secretary of Defense is allowed to provide lethal assets if he or she “reasonably anticipate[s]” a confrontation between civilians or not. This is extremely vague and open to interpretation. There seems to be nothing stopping the Secretary from sending lethal assistance to police ahead of a peaceful protest, offering an anticipation of conflict as justification.

This is troubling, especially considering that this directive was adopted shortly before the election. Is this how the DOD is preparing for post-election protests and chaos?

For more information on this new directive, we encourage you to check out this helpful essay by the Center for Renewing America. In the meantime, pray that the military would not turn its guns on the American people!

What do you think of Directive 5240.01? Share this article to get intercessors praying!

(Photo Credit: U.S. Secretary of Defense)