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Democrats With Military Backgrounds Urge Troops to Refuse Unlawful Orders as GOP Presses for Examples

The clip, viewed millions of times, lands in ongoing disputes over presidential authority versus service members’ legal duties.

The video shows veterans who are serving in Congress and the U.S. Senate telling active-duty military to refuse orders that are against the law.
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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 18: U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth looks on during a bilateral meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia in the Oval Office of the White House on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is hosting the crown prince for meetings aimed at strengthening economic and defense ties, including the U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Members of the military salute during the US Marine Corps 250th anniversary event at Camp Pendleton Beach in Oceanside, California, on October 18, 2025.

Overview

  • Sen. Elissa Slotkin posted a video featuring six Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence service telling troops and intelligence staff to refuse illegal orders, without naming specific orders.
  • Republicans and administration officials condemned the message, with Stephen Miller calling it a call for insurrection and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth labeling it “Stage 4 TDS.”
  • Sen. Lindsey Graham said he will send a letter demanding the lawmakers identify any orders they believe are unlawful, arguing the video offers no concrete examples.
  • The Democrats defend the reminder as grounded in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, with Rep. Chrissy Houlahan calling it patriotic and Rep. Jason Crow citing troops’ obligations under law; Sen. Jack Reed noted such determinations can be difficult in practice.
  • Coverage links the video to recent Democratic efforts to curb National Guard deployments and to questions over lethal strikes on suspected drug boats, with CNN reporting at least 83 killed since September, reliance on a DOJ OLC opinion, and lawmakers seeking unanswered briefings.