Response to Military Orders by Rep. Jason Crow

During an interview on Sunday, Rep. Jason Crow from Colorado discussed what he believes to be an “unlawful” military order that should not be obeyed if issued by President Donald Trump. He spoke with Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” defending a video he and several other Democrats released urging military and intelligence officials to reject such orders.

When questioned about what these orders might entail, Crow offered various hypothetical examples, including sending troops to Chicago, deploying military forces to polling places, attacking the families of terrorists, arresting and executing members of Congress, and shooting peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square. Brennan pointed out that Trump had not actually given those specific orders.

Crow, along with Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, appeared in a short video last week encouraging military personnel to trust their conscience and refuse to follow what they deem “unlawful” commands. They argued that the real threats to the Constitution are within the country, emphasizing that the administration creates division between the military and the American people.

In response to the video, Trump posted on Truth Social, threatening consequences, saying, “Sedition, punishable by death!” Crow stated that Trump’s reaction underlines their concerns regarding his respect for constitutional law. He remarked on the alarming nature of a Congress member reminding servicemen of their duty to uphold the Constitution, only to be met with threats.

Brennan challenged Crow regarding claims from House Republicans that the Democrats’ video was harmful to the military. Crow waved off the criticisms, suggesting they came from Trump supporters who know better. He accused some lawmakers of dishonesty, maintaining that they are misrepresenting their message.

He argued for the importance of discussing potential illegal orders now instead of waiting for a direct command. In his view, waiting until such an order was actually given to a soldier would indicate failure in their responsibilities. He emphasized the necessity of fostering awareness among the military regarding lawful versus unlawful directives.

Slotkin, in an appearance on ABC News, acknowledged she wasn’t aware of any illegal orders Trump had issued but pointed to some complicated legal implications concerning military actions in places like the Caribbean and Venezuela.