FBI seeks interviews with six Democrats after their video urging troops to defy ‘illegal orders’
WASHINGTON, DC: Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have sought six Democratic members of the Congress for interviews after a video in which they called US military personnel to disobey orders considered illegal.
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 18, 2025
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship. pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r
This action escalates a political and legal standoff that has been going on due to the response of the president, Donald Trump, who said that the lawmakers’ behavior was ‘seditious’ and that it deserved a severe reaction.
Who are the six Democrats being investigated?
The FBI agents have asked House and Senate sergeants-at-arms to organize interviews with six members of Congress, according to a Justice Department official. This is said to be a move to figure out whether there is a legal basis for opening a probe.
The senators are Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz), and the representatives are Jason Crow (D-Colo), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa).
As per the report, the video asked the military and the intelligence community to follow their oath to the Constitution rather than any order they might consider unlawful.
The administration's response to this message was very strong, including a public accusation of sedition by Trump and a related investigation at the Pentagon for Senator Kelly.
Democrats respond with affirmation
The four House Democrats in a joint statement called the FBI’s demand a politically motivated effort to ‘intimidate and harass Members of Congress,’ and denied such behavior. They pledged their loyalty to the constitution and promised that they would not be silenced.
Joint statement in response to FBI inquiry: pic.twitter.com/SYPWCnZpjA
— Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) November 25, 2025
Senator Slotkin also shared that view and said the FBI operation through its counterterrorism division was ‘a scare tactic’ to frighten people and prevent them from speaking their opinion and protesting.
On the other hand, Senator Kelly a former Navy officer - referred to the Pentagon's investigation alongside the FBI as "an intimidation move" and assured that he would not be silenced.
What led to this?
The situation unfolded earlier this week when the Defense Department announced that it was formally initiating a separate investigation into Senator Mark Kelly. The department stated that as a former Navy captain, the senator is still under the jurisdiction of the UCMJ.
On the other hand, Trump kept escalating the language by charging the representatives with “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” and then he was “not threatening death.”
A joint statement from myself @SenMarkKelly, @RepJasonCrow, @RepDeluzio, @RepGoodlander and @RepHoulahan.
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) November 20, 2025
“We are veterans and national security professionals who love this country and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a…
The fight has additionally brought back questions of the constitution: experts in law have observed that apart from issues related to the First Amendment, the Speech or Debate Clause of Article I shields the members of the Congress from any legal actions for the operations of the legislative branch - a protection system, which is intended to stop the president from having too much power and to secure the separation of powers; thus, the executive branch cannot intervene.
