Dem Lawmakers ‘Resist’ Trump Message Could Face Military Review Trump Says [WATCH]

President Donald Trump said Friday that a video released by a group of Democratic lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds — urging service members to refuse undefined “illegal” orders — amounted to “treasonous” behavior.

He also said War Secretary Pete Hegseth is examining the matter, which he suggested could involve reviews by military courts.

The video, published earlier in the week, featured Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan along with several House Democrats. In the recording, the lawmakers told military personnel they “can refuse illegal orders… you must refuse illegal orders” and warned that “the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”

“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now, Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us. You all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution,” the lawmakers said.

“Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. 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.”

We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.

The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.

Don’t give up the ship. pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r

— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 18, 2025

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The message drew immediate pushback from senior White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.

President Trump labeled the video “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH” in a Truth Social post.

Speaking on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Friday, the president said he believed the remarks crossed a serious line.

“Well, if you look at sedition, if you look at, uh, you know, that type of, it’s a form of a very strong form of being a traitor. It’s a terrible thing to say. I must tell you, I heard it and I thought it was some kind of a comedy situation. I thought that would, you know, it was some kind of a skit and cause I couldn’t believe that they’d say it,” Trump said.

He added that some Democrats appeared reluctant to defend the video.

“And I watched Democrat congressmen and one Democrat Senator yesterday in one of the shows Didn’t even want to discuss it. They said, whoa, don’t get me into that one. They didn’t want to get into it. That is a really serious charge. I’ll tell you what, what they said is, and it was, I mean, I don’t know about the modern day things because, you know, modern day is a lot softer. But in the old days, if you said anything like that, that was punishable by death.”

Trump said the lawmakers involved are in “serious trouble,” adding, “I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death.”

He also said Hegseth is reviewing the situation.

“I know they’re looking into it militarily. I don’t know for a fact, but I think the military is looking into it, the military courts,” Trump said.

Ohhhh boy… see where this is going? 👀

🚨 #BREAKING – President Trump says the U.S. Military Courts are looking into the Democrats Seditious Behavior

Trump was asked if he worries there will be Military Personel who will disobey Direct Orders?

“NO, I don’t worry about… https://t.co/CS5NaR572E pic.twitter.com/9wuht6k3zR

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) November 21, 2025

The Democrats featured in the video have defended their statements and accused the president of “threatening” them.

They have not explained what specific “illegal” orders they were referring to.

Their comments come as the War Department has carried out nearly two dozen strikes on drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche criticized the video during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, calling it “abhorrent” and comparing it to “a propaganda video by one of our enemies trying to recruit the military to become spies.”

Todd Blanche: I felt like I was watching a propaganda video by one of our enemies trying to recruit the military to become spies… And you ask if what they did is a crime? I mean, you tell me what it is.
pic.twitter.com/aZu0aV27Gd

— Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) November 20, 2025

“What is the reason that they all went on a video and encouraged young men and women to defy court orders without even giving a hint of what’s illegal, without even giving any suggestion of what law or what order they’re being asked to violate. You cannot do that in this country, especially if you’re a leader,” Blanche said.

He also indicated the Justice Department is examining the matter.

“And so what does the investigation look like? I think they should be held to account. I think that those congressmen should be required to answer questions about why they did what they did, and the American people deserve that, and so does President Trump.”

“Stuff like this gets people killed. It creates stupid rules of engagement, some of which killed my friends personally, because they want to play political grandstand games with no intention of backing the soldier up when he does the bidding that they subtly encouraged.”… pic.twitter.com/5M4lk4hOS9

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 21, 2025