Federal tensions escalated dramatically after the FBI requested interviews with six Democratic members of Congress who appeared in a video telling US military personnel they are legally permitted to refuse unlawful orders. The lawmakers—each of whom is a military veteran or former national security official—framed the message as a constitutional reminder that troops swear allegiance to the US Constitution and are obligated only to follow lawful commands.
The video triggered an immediate backlash from the Trump administration. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth publicly accused the lawmakers of “seditious” acts and warned that Senator Mark Kelly, a former Navy captain, could be recalled to active duty to face military charges. President Donald Trump pushed the rhetoric even further, posting on social media that the six Democrats had committed sedition and noting that the crime is “punishable by death.”
The FBI, headed by Trump appointee Kash Patel, has now moved to question all six lawmakers. According to a Justice Department official who spoke with Reuters on condition of anonymity, the interviews are intended to determine “if there’s any wrongdoing, and then go from there.”
The Democrats say the investigation is an attempt to silence critics of the administration. Senator Elissa Slotkin—formerly with the CIA—said on X that “the President directing the FBI to target us is exactly why we made this video in the first place,” adding that she will not back down. The four House members featured in the recording—Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan—issued a joint statement accusing Trump of weaponising federal law enforcement against political opponents.
The controversy comes as Democrats intensify warnings about two areas where they say unlawful orders may already be occurring: strikes on boats in Latin American waters that the administration claims are linked to drug traffickers, and the deployment of federal troops inside American cities. The lawmakers did not reference either issue in the original video, but both have been discussed privately among military leaders and publicly among Democratic officials.
Legal observers note that “sedition” is not a civilian criminal charge under US law, though “seditious conspiracy” can carry up to 20 years in prison. The Uniform Code of Military Justice does include a sedition article for service members, and the maximum penalty can include death—language that the President invoked in his social media post.
The FBI inquiry represents a historic flashpoint as the administration moves to investigate sitting lawmakers for comments rooted in constitutional interpretation. The six Democrats insist they were underscoring well-established military law; critics say the administration is using federal authority to intimidate elected opponents. The legal and political fallout is now expected to expand in the coming days as the Justice Department weighs whether to escalate the matter beyond the interview stage.
