Critics argue that while the directive is a step in the right direction, any executive action could simply be undone by a future president. Kanya Bennett, a legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, said it remains imperative for Congress to pass a demilitarization bill as law.

“We want to make sure that any militarization reforms are permanent,” Bennett said. “The steps the administration has taken could be undone by the next administration, and we want to codify some of those reforms and, if there’s appetite, go further.” The Pentagon’s controversial program to disburse surplus military equipment to local law enforcement, for instance, has seen more cosmetic change than substantive emendation.