Army sued after stonewalling release of records on training slides calling pro-life orgs ‘terrorist groups’

A national security watchdog sued the Army Friday to force them to hand over records pertaining to PowerPoint slides used in a training that called well-known pro-life organizations “terrorist groups.”

The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) filed the lawsuit Friday to enforce a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request pertaining to revelations in July 2024 that U.S. Army base Fort Liberty used education materials labeling certain pro-life groups as “terrorist groups,” which was shown to over 9,000 soldiers over seven years. Pro-life groups faced various attacks under former President Joe Biden’s administration, with the Department Of Justice (DOJ) frequently targeting the groups with prosecution under the FACE act, which prohibits the “violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain or provide reproductive health services.”

“Members of the Pro-Life movement being labeled as terrorists by the United States Army is outrageous and chills free speech among Americans dedicated to protecting the lives of the unborn.” CASA Director James Fitzpatrick told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The American people deserve to know about the specific records and communications which led to the development of this slide show. CASA’s FOIA requested this information and this lawsuit will force the Army to provide it immediately.”

CASA initially requested the records in July, seeking communications between Fort Liberty Public affairs personnel, meetings and calendar entries regarding the slides and communications with media outlets, according to the FOIA request. Over 176 days have elapsed since the initial request, despite statutory requirements that the Army make a “timely disclosure,” the lawsuit says,

PowerPoint slides from Fort Liberty list pro-life organizations such as National Right to Life, founded by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Operation Rescue, an prominent pro-life activist organization as “terrorist groups.” CASA filed a complaint in September over the incident, saying the staff who allowed the slide’s creation and use over years violated military law and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Army officially apologized for the slides, opening an investigation into the matter in July.

“Pro-life groups are not considered terrorist groups under Army policy. The slides are not Army standard slides under the Army Extremist policy,” the Army previously told the House Armed Services Committee. “The content in the picture and briefing are inconsistent with Army policies… The slides at issue will not be used again and will be replaced.”

President Donald Trump pardoned 24 pro-life activists charged with the act in the first week of his administration.

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