Trump grants new authority to troops to protect border personnel

President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum that grants new authority to US troops on the Southwest border to protect Customs and Border Protection personnel from migrants if they engage in violence, according to the Pentagon.

Posted 2:16 a.m. Nov 21, 2018 — Updated 2:16 a.m. Nov 21, 2018

Ryan Browne

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Barbara Starr, CNN

(CNN) — President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum that grants new authority to US troops on the Southwest border to protect Customs and Border Protection personnel from migrants if they engage in violence, according to the Pentagon.

Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza confirmed to CNN that the Pentagon had received the memorandum

CNN first reported this was expected.

Until this new authority was been granted, troops were not allowed to intervene if CBP personnel came under attack unless they needed to act in their own self-defense.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

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