&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump administration probes Democratic lawmakers over video urging troops to disobey “illegal orders”")
The Trump administration has launched an investigation into six Democratic lawmakers for a 90-second video released in November 2025 directed at members of the US military and intelligence communities. The video urges them not to follow “illegal orders”. Democratic Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire have received an inquiry about the video from the Department of Justice. Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said that Federal Prosecutors have reached out to interview them. The lawmakers expressed that this outreach is an attempt at intimidation.
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona faces seperate investigation for the video; he has been demoted from his rank in navy and his military pension was slashed. Kelly, in return, has sued Defence Minister Pete Hegseth, calling the move unconstitutional.
“This is the president’s playbook. Truth doesn’t matter. Facts don’t matter. And anyone who disagrees with him becomes an enemy,” said Senator Elissa Slotkin. “And he then weaponises the federal government against them. It’s legal intimidation and physical intimidation meant to get you to shut up.”
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US President Donald Trump has publicly condemned the lawmakers. He called the six Democratic lawmakers engaging in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR,” and warned them that the offence is “punishable by DEATH!”
What did the video say?
The video claims that the Trump administration is "pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens." It further added that the US law allows to disobey illegal order that violates the rights protected by the US Constitution. But the lawmakers did not specify which orders they were talking about. Senator Maria Kelly, in an interview with CBS news said that President Trump and his administration are using illegal ways to kill terrorists' families, and according to a former defence secretary, they shoot protesters in the legs. Crow cited the president's push to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. However, with the turn of 2026, the situation has turned into anarchy, with ICE agents attacking and shooting at US citizens at their will.
