Deluzio, other Dems tell troops to refuse illegal orders; Trump calls message 'seditious'

Six Democratic members of Congress who served in the military or intelligence community, including U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio of Fox Chapel, are telling current servicemembers and intelligence officials they have a right — and obligation — to refuse illegal orders.

In response, President Donald Trump described the message from Democrats as “seditious behavior” and noted that such behavior could be “punishable by death.”

“Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad,” Deluzio said in the 90-second video posted Tuesday on the X account of U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, a former CIA officer.

“Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,” added U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a former Navy officer.

“You must refuse illegal orders,” said Deluzio, also a former Navy officer.

The lawmakers do not say in the video what orders issued during the current administration they consider illegal.

But actions by the administration to deploy military troops to U.S. cities and conduct military strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean have raised legal questions and drawn criticism from some.

William Banks, professor emeritus of law at Syracuse University, said servicemembers’ obligation to refuse illegal orders is “pretty straightforward.”

“It’s in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it’s in the pledge that (servicemembers) take when they enlist and it’s embedded in all the training that military lawyers receive,” Banks said.

The gray area, Banks said, can be “drawing the line between lawful and unlawful, because one person’s perspective can be very different from another person’s.”

The lawmakers’ video drew harsh rebukes from Trump, members of his administration and supporters of the president.

Just after 9 a.m. Thursday, Trump took to Truth Social to share a link to a Washington Examiner story on the Democrats’ video with the message: “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. 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.”

Less than 10 minutes later, Trump posted, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS! LOCK THEM UP???”

About an hour after that, Trump followed up with this post: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Trump also shared several posts by other Truth Social users, including one that read, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”

“It is insurrection — plainly, directly, without question,” Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, told Fox News.

“These lawmakers should honestly resign in disgrace and never return to public office again for even daring to think, let alone to say, these words and to say them proudly. It shows what a dangerous moment we’re in,” Miller added.

In addition to Deluzio, Slotkin and Kelly, the video featured U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania’s Chester County, a former Air Force officer; U.S. Jason Crow of Colorado, a former Army Ranger who attained the rank of captain; and U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, a former Navy Reserve intelligence officer.

Following Trump’s remarks on social media, Deluzio posted a video statement on YouTube reacting to the president’s comments.

“Today, Donald Trump called for my death. He called for the arrest and the death of me and several of my colleagues, all who have either worn the uniform or served in the intelligence services,” Deluzio said.

“He didn’t want to hear the basic lesson that we know about our Constitution, about the oath we all take when we serve — whether in Congress or your first day out at boot camp.

“These are bedrock principles in our country, that you follow lawful orders, that the oath to the Constitution and the loyalty to the Constitution comes above all,” the second-term congressman added.

“I’m not going to be intimidated. I’m not going to be deterred from my duty to represent the people who sent me to Congress and to uphold my oath to the Constitution,” Deluzio said.

In a separate joint statement from the six lawmakers, they said, “Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat from Montgomery County, waded into the debate to denounce Trump’s comments, noting that two of the six lawmakers are from the Keystone State.

“Not only has the President failed in his responsibility to lead this country — he is actively encouraging political violence once again, ratcheting up the real risk of danger to our elected leaders and deepening the divides in our country,” Shapiro wrote on X.

“The sycophants and enablers the President surrounds himself with are quick to condemn language like this when it suits their political purposes — but in moments like this, they remain silent,” the governor added. “There should be no place for this violent rhetoric from our political leaders, and it shouldn’t be hard to say that.”

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, also condemned Trump’s comments.

“I strongly reject this dangerous rhetoric. Do not threaten Members of Congress. Republican or Democrat. It’s deeply wrong with no exceptions — ever,” Fetterman wrote on X.

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, who attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as an Army officer, joined Fetterman this summer in calling for an end to political violence and extreme rhetoric following the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

In response to questions from TribLive regarding the Democrats’ video and Trump’s response, McCormick said in a statement, “Not a single unlawful order is cited in (the Democrats’) video — because there aren’t any.

“The video is inappropriate and unwarranted, and I didn’t hear any of these calls to defy orders when Democrats were using lawfare against President Trump, giving outlandish pardons or intimidating tech companies to stop free speech.”

“I think the Democrats’ video is wrong and extremely inappropriate,” McCormick said. “President Trump can speak for himself, but as I’ve said repeatedly, there is no place in either party for violent rhetoric and everyone needs to dial it down a notch.”