A group of Democratic lawmakers who once served in the military or intelligence agencies just put out a video with a message that has raised serious concerns about encouraging insubordination in the armed forces.

Senator Elissa Slotkin posted the video on social media this week. It features her along with Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and four House members including Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Maggie Goodlander, and Jason Crow. All six previously served in either the military or intelligence community.

The video runs about a minute and a half. While President Trump is never mentioned by name, the timing and context make it obvious who they are talking about.

Slotkin said in her social media post that the group wanted to speak directly to service members.

“The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.”

Kelly, who flew jets for the Navy before becoming an astronaut, made a serious accusation against the current administration. He claimed officials are trying to turn military and intelligence professionals against regular Americans.

The lawmakers repeated one specific instruction multiple times throughout the short video.

“You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”

This line was said by Kelly, Slotkin, and Deluzio at different points in their message. They want troops and intelligence officers to know they have the power and duty to disobey commands they believe violate the law.

Goodlander joined Kelly in reminding viewers about the oath every service member takes when they join.

“Like us, you swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.”

The video never directly tells anyone to rebel or betray their country. But the message comes at a time when some Democrats have been using increasingly heated language about the Trump administration. Two assassination attempts against President Trump and the recent murder of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk have made political rhetoric a sensitive topic.

Deluzio and Crow pushed the message even harder by suggesting America faces danger from enemies inside our own government.

They warned that threats to the Constitution are coming from right here at home. The implication about who they mean was crystal clear to anyone watching.

The group of lawmakers admitted they were asking military personnel and intelligence officers to make tough choices. They called this a hard moment for people serving their country in these roles.

“But whether you serve in the CIA, the Army, the Navy, or the Air Force, your vigilance is critical. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.”

The video ended with the lawmakers repeating an old Navy phrase that dates back to the War of 1812. Captain James Lawrence said the words as he died from wounds suffered in battle between his ship USS Chesapeake and a British frigate off the coast of Boston.

“Don’t give up the ship.”

The irony is that despite those famous last words becoming a legendary Navy saying, the British actually did capture Captain Lawrence’s ship that day.

The lawmakers in the video have some cover because they never openly called for illegal action or violence. But their message still tells military and intelligence personnel to be ready to refuse orders from their chain of command.

Critics say this kind of messaging creates chaos and undermines military discipline. The armed forces depend on a clear chain of command where orders flow down from civilian leadership through military officers to the troops. Encouraging service members to second guess their commanders based on their own political views could be dangerous.

The video represents another example of Democrats using inflammatory language while simultaneously claiming they want to lower the temperature of political discourse in America. They often accuse Republicans of divisive rhetoric but then release messages like this one that seem designed to sow doubt and discord within the military itself.

Some observers noted the video has all the characteristics of what Democrats themselves often call a dog whistle. It sends a message to a specific audience without stating the controversial part out loud.

The timing of the video is also notable. It comes as the Trump administration is working to implement its agenda and make changes within government agencies.