Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in a fiery social media post early Tuesday morning, explained why Democrat lawmakers' video encouraging military members to defy orders from their superiors is a significant breach that must be addressed.
Hegseth heavily criticized the actions of those in the video—Reps. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6), Maggie Goodlander (NH-2), and Jason Crow (CO-6), along with Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ)—and dubbed them the "Seditious Six."
Referring to their message as "despicable," the Secretary explained why the video "carries a different weight" for those in the military and/or the intelligence community.
"In the military, vague rhetoric and ambiguity undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command, and erodes cohesion," Hegseth stated on X. "The military already has clear procedures for handling unlawful orders. It does not need political actors injecting doubt into an already clear chain of command."
"As veterans of various sorts, the Seditious Six knew exactly what they were doing—sowing doubt through a politically-motivated influence operation," he added. "The [Department of War] won’t fall for it or stand for it."
Nor should they.
The despicable video urging @DeptofWar troops to “refuse illegal orders” may seem harmless to civilians — but it carries a different weight inside the military.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 25, 2025
This was a politically-motivated influence operation:
☑️ It never named a specific “illegal order.”
☑️ It created…
DIVE DEEPER: Now We've Got Dem Sen. Ruben Gallego Trying to Threaten Military Members If They Investigate Mark Kelly
Hegseth notes that none of the six lawmakers in the video has been able to specifically name any "illegal orders." For that matter, they haven't even been able to name a single one since posting the video.
When given the opportunity during an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to state definitively what orders were illegal, Slotkin could not.
"To my knowledge, I -- I am not aware of things that are illegal, but certainly there are some legal gymnastics that are going on with these Caribbean strikes and everything related to Venezuela," she said.
Crow, likewise, could not pinpoint any unlawful orders.
That's not the point, of course. The Democrats never had any actual "illegal orders" in mind when they were speaking directly to perhaps impressionable military members. They wanted them to interpret certain actions on their own as illegal, which, as Vice President JD Vance explains, is itself unlawful.
Actions such as immigration enforcement, cleaning up crime in blue cities, and/or defensive maneuvers against narco-terrorists. The message was meant to sow chaos and, hopefully, ensure that some of the Commander-in-Chief's orders and Hegseth's missions end in failure. Such chaos, as Hegseth explains, is designed to create "ambiguity rather than clarity."
A military order laced with doubt could result not just in failure but also in putting soldiers in harm's way. It could lead to injury. It could lead to death. This isn't about scoring political points; it's about a serious breach of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
This is why Kelly, a former Navy pilot, currently finds himself under investigation.
A Department of War statement issued Monday explained that Kelly had been accused of "serious allegations of misconduct" and that further actions against him are under consideration—including a potential court-martial or other "administrative measures."
Kelly responded by posting an image prominently displaying his military insignia, badges, ribbons, medals, and awards, and insisting he will not be intimidated. As if people previously accused of sedition did not also have decorated military careers prior to their downfall.
Hegseth also had some comments on the Captain's response, suggesting he may have gotten himself in even further trouble by preening for his followers.
"So 'Captain' Kelly, not only did your sedition video intentionally undercut good order & discipline…but you can’t even display your uniform correctly," the War Secretary claimed. "Your medals are out of order & rows reversed. When/if you are recalled to active duty, it’ll start with a uniform inspection."
So “Captain” Kelly, not only did your sedition video intentionally undercut good order & discipline…but you can’t even display your uniform correctly.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 25, 2025
Your medals are out of order & rows reversed. When/if you are recalled to active duty, it’ll start with a uniform inspection. https://t.co/rsSyrPcmbg
Democrats have staunchly defended Kelly, claiming the investigation is unwarranted and, like him, noting his decorated naval and astronautic career. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) went so far as to threaten military personnel who might take part in the investigation.
"If you’re part of the military that is going after sitting senators, sitting members of Congress, and part of the weaponization of government, there will be consequences, without a doubt," Gallego said.
That's the thing. Democrats are always looking for consequences for political opponents or those who follow laws they don't particularly like. They never want to accept them for one of their own.
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