老澳门开奖结果 Comment on Release of Trump Administration Lethal Force Rules

May 1, 2021 1:15 pm

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WASHINGTON 鈥 The Biden administration last night released President Trump鈥檚 secret rules for use of lethal force against terrorism suspects abroad. The Trump 鈥淧rinciples, Standards, and Procedures for U.S. Direct Action Against Terrorist Targets鈥 were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, 老澳门开奖结果 v. DOD, filed by the 老澳门开奖结果 in December 2017 after the Trump administration refused to make the rules public. It later refused even to acknowledge the new rules existed. A federal court in September 2020 ruled the Trump administration could not keep the existence of its killing rules secret. The rules were also released to the New York Times, which filed a similar transparency suit.

Below is comment from Brett Max Kaufman, senior staff attorney for the 老澳门开奖结果, in response:

鈥淲e appreciate this release, which confirms our fear that President Trump stripped down even the minimal safeguards President Obama established in his rules for lethal strikes outside recognized conflicts. Over four administrations, the U.S. government鈥檚 unlawful lethal strikes program has exacted an appalling toll on Muslim, Brown, and Black civilians in multiple parts of the world. Secretive and unaccountable use of lethal force is unacceptable in a rights-respecting democracy, and this program is a cornerstone of the 鈥榝orever wars鈥 President Biden has pledged to end. He needs to do so.鈥

The Trump administration PSP rules are here: /foia-document/psp-foia-document-april-30-2021

More information about the case and all case documents are here: /cases/aclu-v-dod-foia-case-seeking-trump-administrations-secret-rules-lethal-strikes-abroad

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