Pollster Frank Luntz sharply criticized six Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday for releasing a video encouraging U.S. service members and intelligence personnel to “refuse illegal orders” under President Donald Trump, calling the move a reckless attempt to provoke political controversy rather than a serious message grounded in any factual basis.
The video, posted Nov. 18, featured Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin along with several House members implying that Trump might issue unlawful directives. Trump, responding Thursday, accused the group of engaging in “seditious behavior” and noted such conduct could historically be “punishable by death.” He later clarified on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” that he was “not threatening death,” but that the lawmakers’ actions fit a definition of sedition embedded in federal law.
Appearing on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” Luntz dismissed the video as political theater designed to irritate the president rather than address any legitimate concern about military conduct. He said there was no plausible justification for the Democrats’ warning because the standards for refusing unlawful orders in the U.S. military have been clear and established for generations.
“My first reaction was, why the hell did you put this video out?” Luntz said. “I know you’re trying to poke at him. Of course you don’t obey an illegal order. Of course there are standards and processes that our military has followed not just for decades, but for centuries. That’s a given. You’re doing this just to create a political issue.”
Luntz said the lawmakers’ decision to release the video was especially disgraceful given the timing and the audience it targeted. He noted that tens of thousands of American troops stationed overseas would be watching such messages during the Thanksgiving holiday, while far from home and risking their lives to protect the country.
“And shame on you,” he said. “Because there are men and women who are serving in Japan, in Korea, all over the globe, in the Middle East, in other Asian countries. And this is Thanksgiving. And they’re not home. And they’re sacrificing for this country. And you’re playing politics at this point?”
The Democrats’ justification for the video began to fall apart almost immediately. On Sunday, during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin admitted she could not point to any actual illegal order from the Trump administration. That acknowledgment fueled even more backlash from critics who argued the video was created entirely for political posturing.
The situation escalated further Monday when the Department of War announced it was launching an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly. Kelly, a retired Navy captain, remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, meaning he can be recalled to active duty to face potential court-martial proceedings. The Department noted that all military retirees remain liable under the UCMJ and that federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit attempts to interfere with the loyalty or good order of America’s armed forces.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth referred to the lawmakers as the “Seditious Six,” singling out Kelly because he used his military rank and affiliation while delivering a political message directly to troops. Hegseth argued that Kelly’s conduct brought discredit upon the armed forces and vowed it would be dealt with through proper legal channels.
The controversy continues to grow as critics say the Democratic lawmakers used America’s military as a political prop without evidence or justification, and now face the legal and professional consequences of their actions.
[READ MORE: University of Minnesota Sparks Outrage With Website Calling America a “Whiteness Pandemic”]
About Post Author
