Answer · confidence: partial
What does Ford's rule against assassinations say, and why was it worded that way?
Research question: What is the full text of EO 11905's assassination prohibition, and what do the Ford White House drafting files show about why it was worded as it was?
The prohibition, as quoted across the sources, states that no U.S. Government employee may engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination 51213. The facts do not include the Ford White House drafting files, so they cannot show directly why the wording was chosen. One source links the direct wording to President Ford's stated concern about controlling intelligence community abuses and questionable activities 17, and another describes the prohibition as stated in a direct and concise manner 15. A 1977 CIA review argued that the word "political" could imply that non-political assassination might be condoned, and it proposed removing that word 810. The newest fact is from 1978, when Carter's amended text dropped "political" and used broader language 1618, so the record is nearly fifty years old as of October 2026.
Checked 2026-10-23. Only documented and supported facts are used.
Dig deeper on this questionSources
[1] supported
The text of Section 5(g) of Executive Order 11905 prohibited political assassination by United States Government employees, including conspiracy to engage in it.
"Prohibition of Assassination. No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination."Assassination Ban and E.O. 12333: A Brief Summary - EveryCRSReport.com
[2] supported
Executive Order 11905, issued by President Ford, prohibited U.S. government employees from engaging in or conspiring to engage in political assassination.
"Concerned that Congress might do so, President Ford issued Executive Order 11905 which included this language: “No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.”"The Assassination Ban and Targeted Killings
[3] supported
President Ford did not explicitly mention the assassination ban in his February 1976 Special Message to Congress, but he said he would support legislation making assassination of a foreign official a crime.
"President Ford did not refer to the assassination ban in the order explicitly, but did indicate that he would"Assassination Ban and E.O. 12333: A Brief Summary - EveryCRSReport.com
[4] documented
The Church Committee quoted EO 11905's assassination prohibition as stating that no U.S. government employee shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.
"The Committee endorses Executive Order 11905, of February 18, 1976, which states: ‘‘No employee of the United States Goverment shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.”"CIA Reading Room cia-rdp10s01820r000300540001-0: FOREIGN AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CHURCH REPORT (1976)
[5] supported
Executive Order 11905 instituted a ban on assassination, stating that no employee of the U.S. Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.
""No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.""Executive Order 11905
[6] supported
The 1977 CIA memo quotes the assassination prohibition in the proposed replacement for EO 11905 as barring any U.S. Government employee from engaging in or conspiring to engage in 'political assassination,' located in Section 5, para. (f).
"Direct attention to para. (f), the prohibition of political assassination which states "no employee of the U.S, Government shall engage in or conspire to engage in political assassination.""CIA Reading Room cia-rdp80-00473a000200110005-7: REVIEW OF PROPOSED REPLACEMENT FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 11905 (1977)
[7] supported
The assassination ban in EO 11905 was later superseded and strengthened by Executive Order 12036.
"This provision would be superseded and strengthened with Executive Order 12036"Executive Order 11905
[8] documented
The CIA reviewer argued that the word 'political' could imply that a non-political assassination might be condoned, because a reader would take the prohibition to cover only political killings.
"This reviewer, and I think many grammarians, would read this sentence and come away with the impression that if an assassination were not "political" it might be condoned."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp80-00473a000200110005-7: REVIEW OF PROPOSED REPLACEMENT FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 11905 (1977)
[9] supported
The Committee concluded that the President's recent proposals and Executive Order did not satisfy the need for clear limits on intelligence operations, which it said required legislation.
"The need is not satisfied by the President’s recent proposals antt Executive Order."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp10s01820r000300540001-0: FOREIGN AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CHURCH REPORT (1976)
[10] documented
The reviewer proposed removing the adjective 'political' so that the order would simply prohibit assassination outright.
"I would Suggest, therefore, that this point be Clarified by removing the adjective "political" and simply prohibit assassination."CIA Reading Room cia-rdp80-00473a000200110005-7: REVIEW OF PROPOSED REPLACEMENT FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 11905 (1977)
[11] supported
The source quotes the EO 11905 assassination prohibition as barring the Government from engaging in, or conspiring to engage in, political assassination, dated 1976.
"Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination"Presidential secrecy and deception, page 266
[12] supported
EO 11905 states that no U.S. Government employee may engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.
"No employee of the United States Government may engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination."Executive orders on United States foreign intelligence activities and the U.S. intelligence community, page 106
[13] supported
Executive Order 11905, issued by President Ford in 1976, prohibited political assassination in seventeen words: no U.S. government employee may engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.
"Contained in this thirty-six page document were seventeen words prohibiting assassination: "No employee of the United States government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination.""Bullets with names, page 166
[14] supported
The source says the assassination issue was 'cleverly dodged' on June 10, 1975, which bears on how the wording was handled during the period leading up to the order.
"June 10, 1975, the assassination issue was cleverly dodged."Presidential secrecy and deception, page 266
[15] supported
The document says the assassination prohibition is stated in a direct and concise manner, while other intelligence prohibitions may be subject to other laws or exemptions.
"While a number of the prohibitions on intelligence activities may be subject to other laws or exemptions, the prohibition on assassination is stated in a direct and concise manner:"Executive orders on United States foreign intelligence activities and the U.S. intelligence community, page 106
[16] supported
Carter's Executive Order 12306 changed the ban's wording by dropping the word "political" before assassination, though the document says the impact of that change is unclear.
"The most prominent feature of this amendment is the removal of "political" as a modifier of assassination."Bullets with names, page 166
[17] supported
The document links the direct wording of the assassination ban to President Ford's stated concern about controlling intelligence community abuses and questionable activities.
"Such a direct prohibition reflects the President Ford's stated concern over the control of "abuses and questionable activities" on the part of the intelligence community."Executive orders on United States foreign intelligence activities and the U.S. intelligence community, page 106
[18] supported
Carter's amended text read that no person employed by or acting on behalf of the U.S. Government shall engage, or conspire to engage, in assassination.
""No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage, or conspire to engage, in assassination.""Bullets with names, page 166