While presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) may have only committed to looking into whether the U.S. military plans to take over Texas, his father on Thursday took a stronger position on the conspiracy theory surrounding the military operation known as “Jade Helm 15.”

Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) posted a video to YouTube on Thursday applauding Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for ordering the State Guard to monitor the upcoming military training exercise that will be taking place in Texas and six other western states.

The exercise, known as “Jade Helm 15,” has sparked multiple conspiracy theories, including one that speculates the military will use shuttered Wal-Mart stores to stage its takeover of western states.

During the video, titled “Jade Helm: A Military Takeover?”, the former congressman speculated about why Abbott had ordered this monitoring.

“You know it sounds like he’s sort of sympathizing with people who have great concern about federal takeovers,” Ron Paul said. “And, we don’t know what his personal position is but at least legally he’s saying that he’s gonna send the guard in and sort of watch over what the feds will be doing this summer you know in this so called ‘training.'”

Last month, Rand Paul said he planned to look into the training exercise while explaining that he did not know much about it.

His father, in the video, hosted Daniel McAdams, the executive director of his own Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, for the discussion. Paul said he didn’t quite believe the operation was part of a military takeover, as some conservatives fear, but still praised Abbott.

“I’m not quite there yet, I don’t believe that is, I believe it’s very important and I like what the governor is doing,” Paul said.

He theorized that perhaps the U.S. military sought to “enhance the empire” and the exercises were an attempt to prepare for taking over more countries. However, he also accused the CIA of conducting operations that no one knows about.

“I sense that the federal government has taken over,” Paul said. “The CIA is very powerful. We have these special forces all over the world and we don’t know who’s really in charge. Who’s the military, the CIA? They’re the ones who direct the drones. So they’re very much involved. And at home, the feds have taken over because they know everything about everybody and that’s through NASA. They spy on everybody.”

Paul mentioned NASA again before catching himself and talking about the NSA.

Paul said that martial law is a real possibility but added that he didn’t think the country was quite there yet.

“I think this is very good that the governor has done this,” Paul said. “I’m not at the point where I think this is the first step and six months from now you’re gonna have see martial law all around the country and I sure hope I’m right on that.”

Watch the video below, courtesy of the “Ron Paul Liberty Report” YouTube channel: