U.S. Military Personnel Disobeying Orders? Analysis Suggests Blame Lies with Democrats
By Michael Dorstewitz
Friday, 05 December 2025
A controversy continues to swirl around the military involving Democratic lawmakers’ recent call for active-duty service members to disobey orders they deem illegal.
Following a video released by a group of Congressional Democrats known as the “Seditious Six,” including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, along with Reps. Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan, which encouraged military personnel to question certain orders under specific circumstances, concerns have been raised.
The video directly challenges the authority structure within the U.S. armed forces. While the lawmakers have framed their remarks as urging adherence to lawful orders, critics argue they are actually encouraging insubordination by advocating for defiance without clear examples or context.
For instance, when pressed for specifics regarding military operations against drug trafficking networks, Slotkin and Kelly initially claimed there were illegal “illicit” orders emanating from the Pentagon. Rep. Crow was specifically asked four times to identify an example of such an order but could not provide any details.
ABC News reported that some Democrats sought justification for their stance by invoking historical precedents like post-WWII Nuremberg trials and the film “A Few Good Men,” suggesting these parallels without offering concrete evidence specific to current administration actions.
The alleged orders supposedly from figures like Pete Hegseth – who now serves as Secretary of Defense – are thought to be related to drone strikes targeting drug runners, whom the White House administration has termed “narco-terrorists.” These operations have involved incidents where UCMJ experts say could border on war crimes if not handled properly.
Specifically, the widely reported and contested “double-tap” tactic involves attacking suspected targets with two consecutive explosions. In one such incident, drugs were allegedly being smuggled via fast boats off Mexico’s coast. After an initial strike that killed some drug runners, a second strike was authorized to ensure all involved were eliminated.
However, investigations by military lawyers contradict this narrative. Admiral Mitch Bradley presented video evidence in Congress and confirmed his involvement only as the operational commander on the ground. According to sources familiar with the matter, the decision for the double-tap order originated elsewhere entirely – it was a JAG officer who gave final clearance under established legal protocols.
This has led some experts like Haley Fuller, a former Marine Captain, to argue that while releasing certain military footage might not be explicitly illegal under UCMJ rules, it creates confusion about what constitutes lawful military action. She contoned that the advice given by Democratic figures should have been reviewed by legal professionals before dissemination and acknowledged potential risks of such actions being seen as insubordination or even war crimes if misinterpreted.
The broader argument is that Democrats’ criticism lacks substance because they cannot point to any actual illegal orders from the Trump administration, but instead focus on hypothetical dangers. As one critic pointed out referencing past administrations: similar tactics have been used before by leaders across party lines when authorizing military actions against targets labeled as threats.
U.S. Military Personnel and Democratic Lawmakers Face Backlash Over Calls to Disobey Orders
By Michael Dorstewitz
Friday, 05 December 2025
A controversy has erupted concerning active-duty U.S. military personnel after a group of Congressional Democrats known simply as the “Seditious Six” released a video encouraging service members to refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers include Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, along with Reps. Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan.
The video directly challenges military hierarchy, urging personnel to question authority when they believe an order is unlawful. Critics argue this approach is deeply problematic for a service that relies on discipline and clear lines of command. While the lawmakers have framed their remarks as advocating for adherence to lawful orders, some experts suggest it could be misinterpreted or create ambiguity among troops.
The specific military action in question involves drone strikes targeting drug runners off Mexico’s coast. These individuals are referred to by the administration as “narco-terrorists.” However, the incident has been complicated by allegations of a so-called “double-tap” tactic where multiple strikes hit targets that have already been struck once.
Despite Democrat claims attributing the decision for these strikes to figures like Pete Hegseth or other high-ranking officials, military investigations indicate otherwise. In fact, it was reported that a JAG officer provided legal clearance under established protocols.
This has drawn sharp criticism from some veterans and military experts who believe Democratic lawmakers should have sought proper legal guidance before releasing such sensitive information without clear context about what exactly constitutes an “illegal order.”
