President Donald Trump criticized six Democratic lawmakers — all military veterans — who released a video urging service members to refuse unlawful orders. Trump claimed the group may face military investigation, suggesting that in “the old days” such actions would have led to severe punishment. He argued the lawmakers encouraged subordinates to ignore legitimate instructions and said their message could be dangerous for younger service members who may not fully understand constitutional boundaries. Trump called their statements “traitorous” and insisted they had broken the law, though he provided no specifics.
During his interview, Trump said he believed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and military courts were “looking into” the issue, though he admitted he did not know for certain. He insisted that under his leadership, troops would follow orders and not refuse missions, but warned that statements like the lawmakers’ could undermine discipline under other leaders. He emphasized that if he had made similar comments during a Democratic presidency, the backlash would have been far greater.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, one of the veterans in the video, appeared to soften her position in a later interview. Asked whether Trump had ever issued an illegal order, she avoided a direct answer, instead claiming many young officers have sought guidance about legality concerns. She stressed that the military has long recognized the concept of unlawful orders, citing the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Nuremberg principles, and argued that the video’s message was “benign” and only encouraged adherence to the law.