Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday the president has the legal authority to order the killing of U.S. citizens overseas if they have ties to terrorist organizations. Holder’s comments mark the first time he has spoken publicly about targeted killings since a U.S. drone killed the U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen and another U.S. citizen five months ago.

Eric Holder: “Some have argued that the president is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who is a senior operational leader of al-Qaeda or associated forces. This is simply not accurate. Due process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it comes to national security. The Constitution guarantees due process; it does not guarantee judicial process.”