TRENTON -- Facing backlash over his hard-lined stance on national security, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump announced Friday he would not order the U.S. military to make any moves that violate international law.

Up until Thursday night, the billionaire businessman and former Atlantic City casino magnate was advocating for the U.S. to use waterboarding on terrorism suspects and to kill the families of terrorists.

Military officials have argued that such moves are war crimes and that members of the American armed forces might have the right to ignore the commands if Trump is elected.

But Trump appeared Friday to reverse his stance, saying he will "not order a military officer to disobey the law."

"I feel very, very strongly about the need to attack and kill those terrorists who attack and kill our people," the real estate tycoon said in a statement released by his campaign. "I know people who died on 9/11. I will never forget those events."

Trump added that he will "use every legal power that I have to stop these terrorist enemies."

But, he said, "it is clear that as president I will be bound by laws just like all Americans, and I will meet those responsibilities."

Trump has repeatedly boasted he will strengthen the U.S. military so much that opponents will fear America.

He first suggested in December that the U.S. must not just take out terrorists but their families, too.

"They may not care about their lives," he said during a GOP debate that month. "But they do care about their families' lives."

And during the most recent Republican debate Thursday, Trump stressed that U.S. military leaders would obey such an order "because I'm a leader."

"They won't refuse," he said. "They're not going to refuse -- believe me."

The businessman has also said he's in favor of the U.S. reviving the controversial interrogation tactic known as waterboarding.

"And I would bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding," Trump said during debate last month.

But some U.S. lawmakers, intelligence figures, and military officials have spoken out against Trump's position.

On Wednesday, a group of more than 100 leaders in the Republican foreign policy and national security community wrote an open letter condemning his views on the matter.

On Thursday, former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen told CNN that U.S. military leaders could face Nuremberg-like trials if they carried out Trump's orders.

And on Friday, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R.-S.C.) -- one of Trump's former rivals for the GOP presidential nod -- sent a letter asking Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a few questions without mentioning Trump by name. Among them: Is it illegal for the U.S. to use waterboarding and to kill the family members of terrorism suspects?

The Wall Street Journal first first reported Trump's about-face Friday.

Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson told CNN that the businessman was simply misunderstood by critics.

"He realized they took him literally -- that's why he put out the statement," Pierson said on "The Situation Room." "What he's saying is that he wants to go after them with the full force of everything we have."

Regardless, U.S. Rep Adam Schiff -- the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee -- said Trump still did not "disavow torture or killing the families of our enemies."

"Let's be clear: These are war crimes, no matter who is ordering them or carrying them out," Schiff said in a statement Friday.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.