Democratic Lawmakers Urge Military to Refuse Unlawful Orders, Prompting Administration Backlash
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Six Democratic lawmakers released a video advising military personnel to refuse illegal orders, leading to sharp criticism from the Trump administration and an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly.
Six Democratic members of Congress have released a video urging U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse any orders they deem illegal. The lawmakers emphasized that service members are not obligated to follow directives that violate the law or the Constitution.
The video features Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, along with Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Jason Crow of Colorado. All six have backgrounds in the military or intelligence community.
In the video, the lawmakers state: "Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders. ... You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution."
President Donald Trump responded sharply, labeling the video as "seditious" and suggesting that the lawmakers' actions could be punishable by death. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed this sentiment, describing the video as "Stage 4 TDS" (Trump Derangement Syndrome).
The Pentagon has initiated an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly's involvement in the video. Additionally, the FBI has launched a probe into the six lawmakers over the video's content.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan defended the video, stating, "I’m not telling people to ignore orders. I’m enormously frustrated with the way that this very sensible video is being interpreted in a really insidious way."
The video has sparked a broader debate on the responsibilities of military personnel to question orders and the potential consequences of doing so.
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