Chuck Norris Questions Military Drill Planned for Texas

Former television celebrity Chuck Norris has raised questions over the United States' planned military exercise for the southwest, including the state of Texas.

Norris and others, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have spoken out in regard to Jade Helm 15, a military training exercise planned for the United States' southwest region this coming summer, in the months of July and August.

The 75-year-old actor and martial arts expert took to his column on the website WorldNetDaily to speak out against the upcoming military training exercise.

"If you haven't heard about Operation Jade Helm 15, you need to. The US government says, 'It's just a training exercise'," Norris wrote in his column.

"But I'm not sure the term 'just' has any reference to reality when the government uses it. It's neither over-reactionary nor conspiratorial to call into question or ask for transparency about Jade Helm 15 or any other government activity," the actor, who previously starred on the television show "Walker, Texas Ranger," wrote.

Some bloggers have suggested that the upcoming Special Forces training operation is really a front for a federal takeover of Texas and other southwestern land.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also spoken out against the planned military drills, ordering Texas State Guard forces to "monitor" the U.S. military during the military training exercises.

The Pentagon said this week that the drills have been long-planned, adding that the federal government is "not taking over anything."