On November 21, 2025, President Donald Trump criticized six Democratic members of Congress for their recent remarks, accusing them of inciting rebellion by urging the military to disobey orders.
The lawmakers released a 90-second video on Tuesday urging soldiers to refuse to obey “illegal orders.” All of these Democratic lawmakers have backgrounds in military or intelligence.
“We know you are under tremendous pressure,” they said, “Our laws are clear: you can refuse unlawful orders.”
While they did not specify which orders were considered illegal, they expressed support for the troops and encouraged them not to abandon ship.
Some Democratic members of Congress have raised concerns about Trump’s military strikes against drug-running ships in international waters. They have questioned the legality and transparency of these operations and expressed worries about potential attacks on Venezuelan soil by Trump. Concurrently with the video release, the Trump administration is also attempting to deploy the National Guard in American cities.
Trump took to Truth Social to condemn their remarks in the video.
“This is really bad, and extremely dangerous for our country. Cannot tolerate their words. This is traitorous incitement to rebellion!!! Should we lock them up???” he wrote.
Trump later said their actions should “be punishable by death.”
The Democratic individuals in the video include Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, who was a CIA analyst involved in the Iraq War, as well as former astronaut and Navy veteran, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona. Additionally, there are Federal Representatives Jason Crow from Colorado, Maggie Goodlander from New Hampshire, Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvania, and Chrissy Houlahan from Massachusetts.
The incident quickly sparked a larger political controversy. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that the Department of Justice and the Pentagon are investigating the legality of this video.
Johnson stated that he did not view Trump’s posts as inciting violence but rather as “defining a crime,” and deemed the Democratic lawmakers’ video as “extremely inappropriate.”
“That is extremely inappropriate and also very dangerous. Congressional leaders telling military personnel to disobey orders. I think this is unprecedented in American history,” he said, “Consider the threat it poses to our national security and what it means for our system.”
Meanwhile, Democratic congressional leadership swiftly defended their colleagues.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voiced his support for these lawmakers, stating that their records attest to their patriotism.
Jeffries wrote on X: “Reps. Crow, Deluzio, Goodlander, and Houlahan, along with Senators Kelly and Slotkin, have shown extraordinary patriotism and outstanding service. We unequivocally condemn Trump’s vile and dangerous death threats against congressional members and urge House Republicans to also strongly condemn.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated that the President’s calls for the execution of elected officials could have “fatal” serious consequences.
“When Donald Trump uses language of execution and treason, some of his supporters are likely to take heed,” Schumer said, suggesting that Trump’s words might “ignite a match in a country that’s soaked in political gasoline.”
During Thursday’s briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Trump did not call for the execution of lawmakers. However, she pointed out that the message from the Democratic lawmakers “might be grounds for legal punishment.”
Leavitt continued, saying that any incitement to “violate the chain of command, refuse to follow lawful orders” is “extremely dangerous for members of Congress, and they should be held accountable, which is what the President hopes to see.”
The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) stipulates that the troops, especially commanders, have a clear obligation to refuse illegal orders. However, for ordinary soldiers, if they disobey orders that later prove to be legal, they may face criminal penalties under Article 90 (willful disobedience of a superior officer) and Article 92 (failure to obey orders) of the UCMJ.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell questioned the claim of illegal orders.
Parnell told the Associated Press, “Our military follows orders, and our civilians issue lawful orders. We love the Constitution. These politicians are just crazy.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also called the message “treason,” stating that it is a “public call to rebellion from Democratic lawmakers against the CIA and armed forces of the United States.”