Military Veterans Affirm Soldiers Have A Duty To Disobey Illegal Orders From Trump

Retired military leaders are throwing their support behind the Democrats, who reminded active-duty troops that they have a duty to disobey illegal orders.

In a message to American soldiers, six congressional Democrats with military and intelligence backgrounds posted a video on Facebook, reminding them that their oath is to the Constitution, not to Trump.

“You must refuse illegal orders,” they said as Trump continues to misuse the military against American citizens and cities in direct violation of established law.

Of course, Trump responded by accusing the six Democrats of sedition and calling for their arrest and execution.

But the fact is that even the military oath and the United States Code of Military Justice make it clear that soldiers have a duty to refuse to carry out illegal orders that violate the Constitution and international law. Maintaining that you were “following orders” is not a defense.

In response to Trump’s dictatorial tirade, retired military leaders and veterans fired back:

For what it’s worth, as a commander and officer it was my duty, moral obligation, and legal requirement to first question and then to not obey any illegal order I was given.

The same is true for everyone who swears the oath.

Hope that clears things up.

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) November 20, 2025

Senators Slotkin and Kelly and colleagues are spot on to give legal advice to our warriors on legal and illegal orders. Trump does not know the difference and is protected by the immunity decision rendered by SCOTUS. Our warriors are not protected. Remember the post WWII trials.

— Major General (ret) Paul Eaton (@PaulDEaton52) November 21, 2025

NOW HEAR THIS:

Every service member has an OBLIGATION to NOT carry out unlawful orders.

“Blatantly” Unlawful orders are if you are instructed to:

1) COMMIT A CRIME OR WAR CRIME

2) VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION & CITIZEN’S RIGHTS

3) VIOLATE TREATIES & INTL LAWS

4) VIOLATE THE…

— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) November 20, 2025

Dear service members, ignore unlawful orders

— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@AdamKinzinger) November 21, 2025

The extreme and psychotic overreaction by Trump and Stephen Miller to Democratic military vets in the Senate and House urging service members to remember that their oath is to the Constitution and not a man tells us a lot about the Trump admin’s plans for the military.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 20, 2025

Democrats weren’t instigating an insurrection. That’s what Trump did in 2020. And he’s currently using the military to invade cities and intimidate the American people as he continues to tighten his grip on power that no president should have. Our men and women in uniform have a duty to disobey unlawful orders. If they do not, they can expect to stand right next to Trump and his cronies during the American version of the Nuremberg Trials.

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