Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says he wants to abolish the National Security Agency.
Johnson, a former Republican who was governor of New Mexico, says he wants to turn “the NSA satellites away from you and I as citizens of the United States.”
“The NSA is a complete executive order as it is under Truman,” Johnson told The Hill. “We could turn those satellites on what is supposed to be the enemy. The fact that they’re pointed on us right now, doesn’t that cause everyone a bit of concern? It should. Look, there’s due process for spying, but due process is not blanket collection of all of our data.”
Pressed on his assertion he could eliminate the agency through executive order, Johnson told the outlet: “Apparently. I’m waiting for someone to prove me wrong. This is what I’ve been told.”
Johnson recently won the Libertarian nomination for president at the party’s convention in Florida. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, also a former Republican, is his running mate.
The Daily Caller will be interviewing Johnson this week. Check back for news from that interview.