³Ō¹ĻÖ±²„ Comment on Release of Trump Administration Lethal Force Rules
WASHINGTON ā The Biden administration last night released President Trumpās secret rules for use of lethal force against terrorism suspects abroad. The Trump āPrinciples, Standards, and Procedures for U.S. Direct Action Against Terrorist Targetsā were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, ³Ō¹ĻÖ±²„ v. DOD, filed by the ³Ō¹ĻÖ±²„ 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 ³Ō¹ĻÖ±²„, in response:
āWe 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. governmentās 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 āforever warsā President Biden has pledged to end. He needs to do so.ā
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