U.S. military leaders are informally discussing how to respond if President-elect Donald Trump orders active-duty troops to handle civilians or aid in his mass deportation plans.

Trump had previously suggested using the military to quell protests and target what he called “enemies from within,” including political critics like Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.

There is concern that such orders could be unlawful, with military leaders unsure how to handle the situation if senior officials in the Pentagon fail to object, DNYUZ has reported.

Others however suggest that failure of military leaders to act on orders from the Commander-and-Chief could be considered treasonous.

While military leaders are preparing for worst-case scenarios, the potential for deploying troops within U.S. cities remains a significant issue, as such decisions would carry serious implications.

Written by B.C. Begley