Veteran Lawmakers Introduce Resolution Condemning Democrat Lawmakers’ Reckless Call for Military Disobedience

Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman and former Navy SEAL Commander Ryan Zinke and Representative and former Army Sergeant Rick Crawford (AR-01) along with 16 other veteran lawmakers introduced a resolution condemning Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Representatives Jason Crow (CO-06), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Maggie Goodlander (NH-01), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) for publicly urging members of the United States military and intelligence community to independently judge and refuse orders from the Commander in Chief, an action that risks violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and undermining national security.

On November 18, 2025, the six Members of Congress released a video accusing the Trump Administration of “pitting” the military and intelligence community against American citizens. They urged servicemembers and intelligence professionals to independently judge the legality of presidential orders and pledged to “have their backs” if they refuse to follow directives they personally deem “illegal.” When later pressed for evidence of any unlawful orders, Senator Slotkin admitted she was “not aware of things [orders] that are illegal,” and others offered no proof to support their claims. 

The resolution states:

Denouncing dangerous and seditious rhetoric by Members of Congress and expressing condemnation of Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Elissa Slotkin, Representative Jason Crow, Representative Christopher Deluzio, Representative Maggie Goodlander, and Representative Chrissy Houlahan for attempting to sow disallegiance amongst members of the United States military and intelligence community and encouraging them to act against the Commander in Chief and President of the United States and violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

It continues:

Whereas Congress, which holds the power to declare war, was so concerned that the chain of command could be undermined by individuals encouraging disloyalty by members of the military that it made it a Federal crime to advise, counsel, urge, or in any manner cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military; 

Whereas, in a video posted on November 18, 2025, and widely disseminated across social media and the news, the aforementioned Members of Congress urged the military and intelligence communities to defy ‘‘illegal’’ orders, insinuating, without evidence, that the administration has been issuing these types of orders;

Whereas UCMJ case law has held that orders are presumed lawful, outside of those obviously unlawful, and are ‘‘disobeyed at the peril of the subordinate’’, without consideration to the ‘‘person’s conscience, religion, or personal philosophy’’;

If adopted the House of Representatives would hold that it…

“…denounces the dangerous and seditious rhetoric spewing from these six Members of Congress that has led to an environment placing troops and their loved ones at risk of harm, compromising and undermining the national security of the United States and the peaceful coexistence and respect deserved by our brave men and women serving in the military and the intelligence community.”

The resolution is co-sponsored by veteran lawmakers Rick Crawford (AR-01), Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Scott Franklin (FL-18), John McGuire (VA-05), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Sheri Biggs (SC-03), Keith Self (TX-03), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Jim Baird (IN-04), Barry Moore (AL-01), as well as Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mark Messmer (IN-08), Randy Fine (FL-06), Mike Collins (GA-10), Rick Allen (GA-12), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Pete Sessions (TX-17), and John H. Rutherford (FL-05).

Read the full resolution here.

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