Leavitt: Soldiers Can’t Be Expected to ‘Question’ Orders — Criticizes Democrats Urging Troops to Refuse Illegal Commands

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to refuse illegal orders, arguing their message threatens military discipline and the chain of command. Leavitt cited the Uniform Code of Military Justice and warned that soldiers cannot be expected to second-guess orders in combat. The exchange followed a video by Sen. Elissa Slotkin and five other Democrats; President Trump harshly condemned the lawmakers, and the Department of Defense said it is reviewing Sen. Mark Kelly's participation.

07:01 AM, 11/25/2025Politics

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized six Democratic lawmakers who urged military and intelligence personnel to "refuse illegal orders," calling the message dangerous and arguing it undermines the chain of command.

Speaking on Fox News' The Story With Martha MacCallum, Leavitt invoked the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), saying service members have a legal duty to obey lawful orders and that orders are ordinarily presumed to be lawful. She warned that requiring soldiers to second-guess orders in the field would risk military discipline and operational effectiveness.

"You can’t have a soldier out on the battlefield or conducting a classified order questioning whether that order is lawful or whether they should follow through," Leavitt said. "There must be a chain of command in our military."

The remarks responded to a video posted on X by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) alongside five other Democrats — Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). In the clip the lawmakers, several of whom have prior military or intelligence service, said: "You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders," urging service members to prioritize the Constitution.

Two days after the video circulated, former President Donald Trump denounced the statement on social media, calling it "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" and saying the lawmakers "SHOULD BE IN JAIL." The Department of Defense subsequently announced it was reviewing Sen. Kelly's participation in the video.

Leavitt also challenged the lawmakers for not identifying any specific unlawful orders. "They can’t answer the question, Martha, because there is no answer. They can’t identify illegal orders because there are no illegal orders," she said, arguing the message could be misread by active-duty personnel as permission to disregard orders they simply disagree with.

Sen. Slotkin later told ABC she was "not aware" of any specific illegal orders issued by the president.

Context

Under the UCMJ, service members are required to obey lawful orders, and they are also required to disobey clearly unlawful orders — a legal and ethical distinction at the center of the debate. The exchange reflects broader tensions between civilian leaders and the military about the limits of obedience, oversight, and how best to preserve constitutional norms while maintaining military discipline.