White House spokesman Jay Carney said that drone strikes on Americans, under certain circumstances, are constitutional.
They are sometimes “necessary to mitigate ongoing attacks,” he said, according to a report in The Hill. They are “fully consistent with our Constitution,” he reportedly added.
The statements came in response to questions at a White House press conference Tuesday, in which Mr. Carney was asked to clarify a Department of Justice memo about drone strikes that targeted U.S. citizens.
Mr. Carney said the president’s priority “first and foremost” was to protect U.S. citizens, The Hill reported. But under certain circumstance — when fighting al Qaeda, for instance — “all necessary military force” can be used, including drone strikes on Americans, he said, The Hill reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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