FBI Launches Interviews with Democratic Lawmakers Over Video Urging Troops to Defy 'Illegal Orders' Amid Trump Backlash

Washington, D.C. — November 25, 2025  In a move that has ignited fresh accusations of political weaponization, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reached out to six Democratic members of Congress to schedule interviews regarding a controversial social media video in which they encouraged U.S. military personnel to refuse "illegal orders." The outreach, confirmed by the lawmakers themselves, comes on the heels of sharp rebukes from President Donald Trump and top Pentagon officials, who have branded the clip as seditious and potentially treasonous.

The video, which surfaced last week on platforms including X (formerly Twitter), features the six Democrats— all with backgrounds in the military or intelligence community—delivering a stark message to active-duty service members, intelligence officers, and national security personnel. "Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders," Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, combat veteran, and former astronaut, states directly to the camera. Other participants, including Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio, New Hampshire Rep. Maggie Goodlander, and Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, echo the sentiment, urging troops to "stand up for our laws... our Constitution."

The lawmakers, dubbed the "Seditious Six" by Trump administration critics within the GOP, emphasize that their words align with longstanding U.S. military doctrine under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Service members are indeed oath-bound to the Constitution and trained to reject unlawful directives, such as those violating international law or basic human rights. However, the video's timing—amid heightened tensions over Trump's post-inauguration directives on immigration enforcement, border security, and potential military deployments—has fueled concerns that it could sow discord in the ranks or encourage selective insubordination.

The FBI's involvement escalated rapidly after the clip went viral. On Monday, agents from the bureau's counterterrorism division contacted the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms to coordinate the interviews, according to a joint statement from the six Democrats released Tuesday.

Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department has publicly detailed the scope of the probe, but sources familiar with the matter describe it as an initial fact-finding effort to assess potential violations of federal statutes on sedition or incitement.

FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist and former Fox News contributor, has remained tight-lipped, telling reporters only that "career agents and analysts" will guide the process.

The developments mark a parallel front in a broader Pentagon investigation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a fiery X post, labeled the video a "politically-motivated influence operation" designed to "erode trust in the chain of command."

Hegseth has threatened to recall Kelly to active duty for possible court-martial proceedings under the UCMJ, a rare step for a sitting senator and retired officer.

The other five lawmakers, while veterans, are not currently subject to military jurisdiction in the same way, though administrative actions remain on the table.President Trump amplified the controversy Sunday with his own social media broadside, accusing the group of "sedition punishable by DEATH" and vowing that "disloyal voices in Congress will not undermine our great military."

The post, viewed millions of times, drew immediate condemnation from civil liberties advocates, who decried it as an authoritarian flex against political opponents.Democrats have fired back with equal force. In their joint statement, the six lawmakers dismissed the inquiries as a "baseless witch hunt" orchestrated by Trump to "intimidate and harass Members of Congress."

Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, told reporters outside the Capitol that the FBI's note arrived "last night," framing it as an attempt to "scare us" into silence.

Kelly, striking a defiant tone during a Senate floor speech, added, "He's not going to silence us. Our military deserves leaders who remind them of their oath to the Constitution, not blind obedience."

Legal experts are divided on the probe's viability. While the UCMJ explicitly prohibits sedition— with penalties up to execution in extreme cases—proving intent to incite mutiny among civilians like these lawmakers could prove challenging.

"Troops are already required to disobey illegal orders; this video is more reminder than revolution," said one retired Army JAG officer, speaking anonymously. Others, including a chorus of conservative commentators, argue the lawmakers' "carefully scripted" language crosses into dangerous territory by injecting partisanship into military loyalty.

17GEN4.com