Democratic Lawmakers Urge Military to Resist Illegal Orders

A group of Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence expertise has urged military and intelligence personnel to reject any unlawful orders that may arise.

This call to action comes as a video shows various lawmakers collectively reading a statement, coinciding with President Trump’s controversial naval attack in the Caribbean near Venezuela.

“We understand you’re facing immense stress and pressure at this time. The trust the American people place in our military hangs in the balance. This administration is putting our servicemen and women at odds with citizens like us. You all swore an oath to uphold this Constitution,” the lawmakers asserted in the clip.

They emphasized, “Threats to our Constitution now arise not just from foreign adversaries, but also from within. Our laws are explicit—illegal orders can and must be rejected. No one should be compelled to follow an order that violates laws or constitutional rights.”

The video features several prominent figures, including Senators Elissa Slotkin from Michigan and Mark Kelly from Arizona, along with Representatives Jason Crow from Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan and Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvania, and Maggie Goodlander from New Hampshire.

As the military strikes began in September, lawmakers have questioned the Trump administration regarding the accountability of service members for the potential unlawful casualties resulting from these actions. At least 83 individuals lost their lives in the assault, which the administration justified by alleging that the target vessel was involved in drug trafficking. Instead of a conventional approach to intercept it, the military opted for a lethal strike.

Internal discussions from the Justice Department suggested that military personnel may not face repercussions for these strikes.

However, Senate Judiciary Democrats expressed in an October letter that the strikes place servicemen and women in a challenging predicament, as they may be directed to conduct unlawful killings.

They highlighted that the U.S. Military Justice Act “prohibits the premeditated and unlawful killing of human beings,” yet simultaneously compels compliance with orders, creating a scenario where service members risk criminal prosecution for executing illegal orders to kill civilians, or for defying their superiors’ commands.