Democratic Veterans Push Back After Viral Video Urging Troops to Refuse Illegal Orders Sparks Partisan Backlash

Six Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence experience released a short video urging U.S. service members to recognize and refuse unlawful orders. The clip, which went viral, prompted sharp criticism from Republican officials and online commentators — and prompts wider debate about the line between lawful refusal and blanket disobedience.

What the lawmakers said

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), one of the participants, pushed back on critics who said the video encouraged troops to ignore orders. "I’m not telling people to ignore orders," Houlahan said. "I’m enormously frustrated with the way that this very sensible video is being interpreted in a really insidious way."

"Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution."

Houlahan was joined in the video by five other Democrats with military or intelligence backgrounds, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.). The clip included the naval phrase "Don’t give up the ship," an appeal to duty and the oath to the Constitution.

Standards and guidance cited

The lawmakers pointed listeners to existing military law and procedure — in particular the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) — as the standard for evaluating orders. Rep. Jason Crow emphasized the point: "The purpose is to remind people of their oath and their obligation to the Constitution and their obligations under the UCMJ, which are very clear." The UCMJ, enacted in 1951, governs offenses from desertion to war crimes and establishes mechanisms for handling unlawful or questionable orders.

Houlahan also underscored that service members should use established channels in the chain of command if they believe an order to be unlawful or inappropriate: "You have an obligation to know and respect your chain of command. You do have, however, a chain of command that you can go through where you can elevate those requests if you believe them not to be either lawful or appropriate, and that’s what I’m encouraging, and my colleagues are encouraging people to do." She added that one clear limit is the use of the military against U.S. citizens.

Reactions and controversy

The video did not list specific examples of illegal orders, which critics said left the message vague and open to political interpretation. In a separate post on X, Sen. Slotkin suggested some service members were concerned about the legality of potential strikes near Venezuela, and that some pilots had raised questions about possible operations.

Republican figures responded forcefully. Commentators and officials framed the message as politically motivated or as evidence of Democrats' hostility toward former President Donald Trump. "[It’s] Stage 4 TDS," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on X, using a pejorative phrase aimed at Democrats. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) suggested the video risked inviting political intervention by the military and intelligence communities.

Some Democrats likewise cautioned that, while the principle of refusing unlawful orders is sound, applying it in practice can be complicated. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "You can’t disobey the Constitution. The issue though, on a practical sense to me, is that determination is often very difficult to make."

What's next

The debate has highlighted tensions between legal obligations under military law and the highly charged political environment. Critics note the lack of concrete examples in the video; supporters insist the goal was to remind service members of their legal and constitutional duties. The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Contributor: Jasmine Baehr