The Pentagon says the U.S. Military will not be used as the “arbiter of political or election disputes.”
During a press briefing on Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman was asked if the military was prepared to get involved in “any post-election unrest.”
Hoffman noted that the Pentagon helps with election security. However, he also noted that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are the primary agencies in charge of election security.
“We have a Constitution, and our Constitution, which all members of the military have sworn an oath to, provides no role for the U.S. military as arbiter of political or election disputes,” he said, responding to the question about civil unrest after the election.
He continued, “This issue appears to be borne of unserious thought reflecting a fundamental lack of appreciation for the history of our democracy and the civilian-military relationship established under our Constitution.”
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When pressed on whether the military is “prepared and willing” to provide assistance to civil authorities if there is unrest after the election.
Hoffman simply said, “I think I’m going to let my statement stand. I’d say that that’s a hypothetical, so I don’t really have a comment for you on the hypothetical.”
Trump recently refused to say whether or not he would accept the election results if he lost, as IJR reported.
The president’s unwillingness to definitively say that he would accept the results if he lost, combined with the federal government’s response to protests against racism which featured a threat to use the U.S. Military to quell violent demonstrations, has led many to wonder if he would deploy the military domestically if the results of the election are disputed.
Kori Schake, director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute told The Washington Post, “If the president is willing to thrust the military leadership into so damaging a set of circumstances during the protests, just imagine what he would be willing to do if he wants to prevent an electoral outcome that would be damaging to him.”
“So yes, they should be absolutely worried about it,” she added.
Meanwhile, Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says he believes the military will need to remove Trump from the White House.
Biden said, “I promise you: I am absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch.”
