FBI investigates 6 Democratic lawmakers who filmed video telling troops they can refuse illegal orders

Six Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds released a video the week of Nov. 18, 2025, telling service members: 'Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders.' The video repeated this message three times

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is a retired Navy Captain and former astronaut

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is a former CIA officer Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) is a former Army Ranger Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) are former Navy and intelligence officials.

Trump posted on Truth Social on Nov. 21, 2025: 'Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL for SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, punishable by DEATH!' The White House later backtracked, saying Trump doesn't actually plan to execute members of Congress but that the video amounted to urging troops to disobey presidential orders.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Nov. 24, 2025, that the Pentagon is investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for 'serious allegations of misconduct.' The investigation focuses only on Kelly because he's retired military and still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Pentagon may recall Kelly to active duty for court martial. Hegseth requested a Navy report by Dec. 10, 2025.

The FBI Counterterrorism Division contacted the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms on Monday, Nov. 25, 2025, requesting interviews with all six lawmakers

The lawmakers confirmed the FBI contact on Tuesday, Nov. 26

Details of the FBI investigation remain unclear The lawmakers said they 'will not be bullied' and 'won't be silenced.'

The video responded to service members who contacted the lawmakers asking for guidance about Trump administration orders they questioned. Sen. Slotkin said service members told her: 'I'm living in [city], and I'm concerned I'm going to be asked to do something that I don't know if I should do.' The concerns involved strikes on boats in the Caribbean and National Guard deployments to cities without local approval.

Slotkin said the strikes target a 'secret list of groups that we're now in armed conflict with' based on 'a legal explanation that's classified and not available to the operators who are carrying out these strikes.' Service members asked lawmakers: 'I'm not sure what to do. Do you have any thoughts? Do you have any advice?' The video was the lawmakers' response.

Hegseth criticized Kelly for displaying Navy medals incorrectly, saying 'Your medals are out of order & rows reversed.' He called the video a 'politically-motivated influence operation' and labeled the group the 'Seditious Six.' The Uniform Code of Military Justice explicitly allows military personnel to refuse illegal orders—Article 92 requires obedience to lawful orders and prohibits obedience to unlawful orders.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) defended Kelly, calling the investigation 'frivolous' and saying Kelly 'valiantly served our country.' Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) praised Kelly's service record.

The Department of Justice Public Integrity Section, which typically investigates government corruption, was dismantled under Trump. Only 2 prosecutors remain, down from 36.

Slotkin said after Trump's 'DEATH' comment: 'We saw an immediate and massive uptick in the number of death threats that we got.' The lawmakers said Trump's response proves exactly why they made the video—to protect service members from retaliation for refusing illegal orders. Four House members said: 'Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress.'