'Torture Works' President Trump to Revive Practice?

If President Trump has proved anything in his first six days as Commander in Chief of the United States, he’s proved that his is sticking to his guns. One thing that he continuously spoke about on the campaign trail was the use of torture. Now, it seems his administration is working to make it a reality.

In a draft order published by The New York Times and The Washington Post gives the assumption that the Trump administration will be looking to revive the practice of torture as well as open up the detention camp at Gitmo for new detainees, annul an Obama-era directive that confined interrogations to techniques in the Army Field Manual, and give the Red Cross access to all detainees held by the United States.

The order directs national security officials to “recommend to the president whether to reinitiate a program of interrogation of high-value alien terrorists to be operated outside the United States.”

On the campaign trail, Trump spoke animatedly about how “torture works.” Trump defended the practice by saying that even if it doesn’t work, “they deserve it anyway, for what they’re doing.”

At a White House Press briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that he did not know where the document was from, did not believe it was an official White House document and that he would not comment on “draft” orders.

Many believe that torture cannot be revived in an Executive order alone. In 2015, an amendment was attached to the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act by the Senate. This amendment banned torture by limiting interrogation techniques to those in the Army Field Manual. The Senate vote was 78-21, overwhelming especially considering the fact that the Senate was largely Republican at the time.

Senator John McCain, a torture survivor himself, has issued a public statement saying that, “the President can sign whatever executive orders he likes, but the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America.”

Many lawyers believe that the law making torture illegal is very close to ironclad. Some believe that Trump will be handed down a report from top security intelligence officials that will advise him that a return of torture is not legally available.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Security Risks for U.S. Retail Chains

    Interface Systems, a provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has released its 2024 State of Remote Video Monitoring in Retail Chains report. The detailed study analyzed over 2 million monitoring requests across 4,156 retail locations in the United States from September 2023 to August 2024. Read Now

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3