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A group of Democratic lawmakers — many with military or intelligence backgrounds — released a video urging service members to “refuse illegal orders,” a stunt that has sent shockwaves through the country and rightly raised alarms about political interference in our armed forces. They framed it as protecting the Constitution, but the optics of elected officials publicly lecturing troops about when to obey the chain of command are reckless and destabilizing.
President Trump and his allies responded with fury, labeling the message seditious and calling for serious consequences, language that has itself become the center of a wider firestorm about how to preserve order without inflaming passions. Whatever one thinks of the rhetoric, the fact remains that the president’s reaction reflects widespread concern that this kind of messaging invites confusion and could undermine morale at a time when our military must remain apolitical and disciplined.
Those concerns have not stayed on social media: the Pentagon has opened an investigation into Senator Mark Kelly and the FBI has reportedly reached out to the lawmakers, signaling that this is not mere political theater but a potential breach with legal and security consequences. Americans who believe in the rule of law should be asking plain questions about whether elected officials should be broadcasting counsel that could be interpreted as encouraging disobedience by troops in the field.
Legal scholars note that service members do have an obligation not to follow manifestly unlawful orders, a principle rooted in the Uniform Code of Military Justice and longstanding military law — a nuance the Democrats’ video glossed over in favor of theatrics. That legal reality does not excuse irresponsible public appeals from members of Congress that fail to consider the chilling, confusing effect on young Americans who wear the uniform and obey orders under pressure.
Make no mistake: Democrats chose a dramatic political gambit that trades on the reverence Americans feel for the military in order to score partisan points, and conservatives should call it out. If you truly respect the troops, you don’t stage videos that risk corroding the chain of command — you defend their service and ensure civilian leaders respect the institutions that keep our republic safe, including holding those who cross legal lines to account.
This moment should unite patriots of every stripe to insist on two things: keep the military apolitical and protect the sacred oath our service members take to the Constitution. Conservatives must press for transparency, consequences where laws were violated, and a recommitment from Washington to stop weaponizing the armed forces for partisan gain so our troops can do their jobs without political interference or confusion.
