Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., is interrupted by Capitol Police while questioning Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., during a House Republican news conference about the government shutdown on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Houlahan, alongside five other Democrats with military or intelligence experience, had encouraged servicemembers to not carry out unlawful orders.
"The threats to our constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: 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 lawmakers said.
"Don’t give up the ship," the video added — a reference to a phrase used by the Navy.
Houlahan was joined by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-NH.
The video did not give an example of what specific kinds of orders servicemembers might have to refuse.
In a separate post to X, Slotkin hinted that servicemembers asked to carry out airstrikes off the coast of Venezuela might be engaging in illegal strikes and said that some pilots had expressed concern about their involvement.
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Republicans responding to the exhortation mocked it as an example of Democratic paranoia towards Trump.
"[It’s] Stage 4 TDS," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a post to X, referring to Trump derangement syndrome — a moniker for the Democrat fixation on the president.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., leaves a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus about the candidacy of President Joe Biden at the Democratic National Committee. ( (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images))
The UCMJ, passed by Congress in 1951, governs a gamut of things servicemembers can get penalized for, ranging from desertion to committing war crimes. The video posted by the lawmakers on Tuesday does not mention the UCMJ by name.
Houlahan said that code should clearly delineate what’s permissible and what isn’t.
"Well, as an example, we are not supposed to use our military against our own citizens. Full stop. This is why the Uniform Code of Miliary Justice exists," Houlahan said.
She noted that there are ways for servicemembers to appeal orders they are concerned about.
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"You have an obligation to know and respect your chain of command. You do have, however, a chain of command that you can go through where you can elevate those requests if you believe them not to be either lawful or appropriate, and that’s what I’m encouraging and my colleagues are encouraging people to do," Houlahan said.
The Department of War did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
— Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report
Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-veterans-break-silence-after-viral-video-causes-backlash-social-media-frustrated