Texas Governor Greg Abbott told state troopers to monitor a US military training exercise, codenamed Jade Helm 15, after locals showed concern that the looming maneuvers actually look more like an “exercise in the imposition of martial law.”

The large-scale operation involves elite teams from four branches of the military, including the SEALs and Green Berets, and is set to kick off in seven states from July 15 to September 15.