Washington, D.C., 26 November (H.S.): Six Democratic lawmakers, all military or intelligence veterans, are pushing back against what they describe as an intimidation campaign after the FBI reportedly launched an inquiry into a video in which they urged U.S. troops to disobey any illegal orders.

The move follows President Donald Trump's furious denunciation of the video as seditious behavior, punishable by death, and a separate Pentagon announcement of a misconduct review into one of the participants, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Lawmakers Allege Intimidation

The lawmakers, including Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, confirmed that the FBI's counterterrorism unit had contacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms to request interviews.

No amount of intimidation or harassment will ever stop us from doing our jobs and honoring our Constitution, four of the House members said in a joint statement, asserting that President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass them.

Slotkin called the president's reaction a scare tactic and precisely the reason they made the video.

Pentagon Targets Senator Kelly

In a separate but related development, the Pentagon has initiated a thorough review of serious allegations of misconduct against Senator Kelly, a retired Navy captain and astronaut. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Kelly of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) by using his rank to lend authority to his words, a move that could potentially lead to a recall to active duty to face court-martial proceedings.

Kelly has remained defiant, stating he has given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies.The Controversial VideoThe video message was released amid heightened tensions over the Trump administration's potential use of the military in domestic affairs, particularly concerning Venezuela and the deployment of National Guard troops in Democrat-led cities.

The lawmakers stated they were responding to concerns from active-duty service members about the legality of potential orders. While President Trump later walked back his most extreme rhetoric, the formal inquiries by the FBI and the Pentagon signal a significant escalation in the clash between the White House and members of Congress over the limits of executive power and the role of the military.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar