Sign the petition: Senator Mark Kelly reminded active military of their oath to refuse illegal orders. Now Trump is seeking revenge.
Dear MoveOn member,
Late last year, six Democratic lawmakers who served in the U.S. military or as intelligence community professionals released a video reminding active military service members that they took an oath to the Constitution, not a president. They went on to say, “Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders … You must refuse illegal orders.”1
Now, these members of Congress are under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and in an unprecedented move, the Pentagon is viciously attacking former naval officer Senator Mark Kelly by attempting to demote his military status and censure him.2 It's clear that the Trump administration is working to send a message to these lawmakers and the rest of us: Go against us and you'll be punished.
This week, in response to the Pentagon’s actions, Sen. Kelly filed a civil lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ensure protection for veterans who speak out against the government. He said, “This is much bigger than me. What I really worry about are the other veterans out there, you know, that don’t have a platform like I do, don’t have the right to speak on the Senate floor. Where are they going to be with this administration if they decide to speak out?”3
Trump’s intimidation campaign aims to suppress and chill speech, to ensure no one challenges him or stands in the way of his illegal, unconstitutional moves. Sign the petition to support these members in the face of Trump’s outrageous partisan attacks.
Shamelessly, Trump initially responded to the video with a post on social media accusing the lawmakers of sedition, followed by other posts and reposts threatening their lives—"SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" and "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!"4
Will you add your name to the petition to show support for Sen. Kelly and the other five members of Congress who bravely spoke out—and to demand that your member of Congress join them in urging the U.S. military to do its job and refuse any illegal orders?
All members of the U.S. military have an obligation to refuse orders that run contrary to our laws or Constitution. And those who remind them of that obligation should not be met with intimidation, threats of prosecution, or violent rhetoric. But that’s exactly what’s happening.
Time and time again, we have seen that there are real consequences for those who dare to speak out against this administration. If we want our elected officials to have the political courage to defy Trump, we need to make it clear that the public will have their back when they do. Will you sign the petition?
The video released by the six Democrats in Congress did not go into specifics about what orders have been given that violated the Constitution or U.S. law. But 10 other military veterans echoed their claims in a video of their own. "They are trying to influence our military to serve the president, not the Constitution, and not the American people," said Kristofer Goldsmith, Iraq War veteran and former sergeant in the U.S. Army.5
Veterans have been sounding the alarm since the start of this administration, speaking out about the weaponization of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against everyday people, the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to silence dissent, and the rise in authoritarianism.6,7,8 All of this is playing out against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s cuts to veteran services and jobs.9
Every single one of us—whether we’re active military members, veterans, members of Congress, or MoveOn members—needs to do our part in speaking out against the wrong, destructive, and illegal acts of this administration and in showing up in solidarity.
Add your name to urge every senator and representative to speak out forcefully against attempts to misuse the military to advance a political agenda that undermines the checks and balances of our country.
Thanks for all you do.
–Aliya, Kelsey, Allison, Justin and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Democrats who told troops to disobey illegal orders push back on alleged FBI probe," BBC, November 26, 2025
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze832dr2n0o
2. “Pentagon moves to punish senator for anti-Trump video,” Politico, January 5, 2026
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/hegseth-kelly-punish-video-00710555
3. “Kelly: Hegseth lawsuit ‘much bigger than me,’” The Hill, January 13, 2026
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5685985-mark-kelly-pete-hegseth-lawsuit/
4. "Experts Say Democratic Video Not ‘Seditious,’ as Trump Claims," FactCheck.org, November 24, 2025
https://www.factcheck.org/2025/11/experts-say-democratic-video-not-seditious-as-trump-claims/
5. "Military Veterans Call Out Trump, Hegseth and Pentagon in New Video," Military.com, November 25, 2025
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/11/25/military-veterans-call-out-trump-hegseth-and-pentagon-new-video.html
6. "Why some Chicago veterans are saying 'no' to President Trump," Fox 32 Chicago, November 10, 2025
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/veterans-day-trump-protest
7. "Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military Power' Amid L.A. Protests," Time, June 12, 2025
https://time.com/7293271/veterans-condemn-trump-military-power-national-guard-los-angeles-protests/
8. "From Front Lines to Protest Lines: Veterans Speak Out For 'No Kings' Events," Military.com, October 21, 2025
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/10/21/front-lines-protest-lines-veterans-speak-out-no-kings-events.html
9. "Veterans Rally Against Trump Cuts," In These Times, December 11, 2025
https://inthesetimes.com/article/veterans-rally-against-president-donald-trump-cuts
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