Five US Legislators Under Investigation for Warning Troops Against Illegal Orders

Five US Legislators Under Investigation

Five legislators from the United States have reported being contacted by the Department of Justice after posting a video on social media, urging members of the military and intelligence agencies to refuse illegal orders. The individuals involved include Senator Elissa Slotkin and Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan, and Chris Deluzio, all Democrats who have previously served in the military, CIA, and naval intelligence.

The video was released in November while US forces were conducting airstrikes against ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, and President Donald Trump was ordering the deployment of the National Guard in major cities across the United States to combat illegal migration and crime. "This administration is putting uniformed professionals in the military and intelligence community at odds with American citizens," the legislators stated in the video. "No one should follow orders that violate the law or the Constitution," they added.

Following the video’s release, President Trump accused the legislators of "sedition, punishable by death" on his Truth Social platform. The FBI initiated an investigation in November into the five legislators, plus Senator Mark Kelly, who also appeared in the video. Kelly, in particular, faced numerous actions related to his participation, with critics describing it as an unconstitutional attack on his free speech rights.

Recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated plans to terminate Kelly from his position upon his retirement and to reduce his pension. Kelly has since filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense and Hegseth, claiming a campaign of "punitive retribution" that violated his free speech rights.

Crow, a former paratrooper and ranger in the US Army, noted on platform X that he and his colleagues are under investigation by the Department of Justice. "Trump’s political allies at the Department of Justice are trying to threaten and intimidate us. Well, they have chosen the wrong enemy. I will always uphold my oath to the Constitution," Crow wrote.

Slotkin, Goodlander, and Houlahan shared similar messages, with Houlahan asserting that the investigation is "ridiculous," especially given that Trump was contemplating launching attacks to protect free speech in Iran, a country currently under a communication blackout following anti-government protests.