President Donald Trump called for the arrest of several Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video urging U.S. military and intelligence personnel to refuse orders they consider illegal, labeling their actions “seditious” and a threat to national security.
“Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The 90-second video, titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” features Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA).
All individuals have military or intelligence backgrounds.
In the clip, they emphasize that service members and intelligence officials must prioritize their oaths to the Constitution over perceived unlawful directives.
“We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk,” the lawmakers said, according to OANN. “You can refuse illegal orders…you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution.”
The video cites past concerns about Trump administration proposals during domestic protests in 2020, including potential deployment of troops in U.S. cities and directives for forceful crowd control.
Slotkin also promoted her No Troops in Our Streets Act, legislation that would give Congress the power to halt domestic military operations and provide additional funding for civilian law enforcement.
Conservative commentators quickly criticized the video.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth called it “Stage 4 TDS,” while social media users labeled the lawmakers’ statements as encouraging treason.
Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt (R) warned that the message appeared “subversive to democracy.”
The backdrop for the lawmakers’ warnings includes recent U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean targeting drug-trafficking vessels from Venezuela and Colombia.
Since September, these operations have reportedly killed at least 80 suspected smugglers, according to The Washington Post.
Democrats raised concerns over the potential legal liability for service members involved in such strikes, prompting the Department of Justice to clarify that personnel cannot be criminally prosecuted for actions taken during armed conflicts with cartels.
The video frames the discussion as a constitutional obligation rather than a political statement.
Crow, Deluzio and Slotkin repeatedly stressed that threats to the Constitution can emerge domestically, not only abroad, highlighting the duty of uniformed personnel to uphold the law in all circumstances.
The lawmakers do not explicitly encourage illegal behavior or violent action.
However, their messaging has triggered sharp criticism from the Trump administration and conservative commentators, who interpret it as a direct challenge to lawful authority within the military and intelligence communities.
The video concludes with the repeated phrase, “Don’t give up the ship,” a historical reference to military resolve.
By combining personal military experience with warnings about potential unlawful orders, the lawmakers aim to inform service members of their constitutional responsibilities.
As debate intensifies over the boundaries of civilian-military authority, the video underscores the tension between legal obligations, political disagreements and public perception of national security.
Officials and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to weigh the implications of urging troops and intelligence officials to navigate potential conflicts between orders and constitutional duties.
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