A group of Democratic members of Congress with military experience, including Rep. Jason Crow and Sen. Elissa Slotkin, have sparked significant debate by urging service members to refuse certain orders they believe violate the Constitution. This call to action came in the form of a viral video that has generated considerable political and social reaction. The lawmakers assert that the Constitution and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) provide service members with the right to reject unlawful commands, a message that has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, one of the lawmakers featured in the video, expressed frustration with the way critics have misinterpreted the message. Houlahan emphasized that the video aimed to highlight the importance of constitutional rights and the UCMJ, which she believes clearly delineates what is lawful and unlawful. The lawmakers have not provided specific examples of the types of orders service members should refuse, but they have cited the UCMJ as a framework for their argument.
Republicans have responded to the exhortation with skepticism, some even suggesting that the Democrats are driven by political motives rather than genuine concern for military conduct. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dismissed the call as an example of Democratic paranoia toward former President Trump, labeling it as Stage 4 TDS. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., accused the Democrats of seeking to undermine military authority by questioning the legality of certain orders.
Despite the Republican backlash, some Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Jack Reed, have expressed support for the principles outlined in the video. Reed acknowledged the difficulty in determining what constitutes a lawful order but agreed that service members have a responsibility to uphold their obligations to the Constitution. The Democrats emphasize that service members have a process for appealing orders they believe are unlawful, which they encourage through their message.
The video’s call to action, while not providing specific examples, has sparked a significant debate on the role of the military and the extent to which service members can question the legality of their orders. The Department of Defense has not yet responded to inquiries about the implications of the lawmakers’ statements, leaving the situation open to further scrutiny and discussion.