It was nearly a week ago when six Democratic members of Congress, each of whom served in the military, the intelligence community or both, appeared in a video to remind current service members that they are obligated to refuse illegal orders. Donald Trump and his team were a little slow to respond, but once they caught up, their fury was unsubtle.
On Thursday morning, the president published a variety of hysterical online missives, including one in which he said the Democratic veterans had engaged in “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He kept the offensive going on Friday, ahead of the weekend, when he published a series of bizarre items to his social media platform.
The Democratic veterans touched a nerve about Trump issuing illegal orders to servicemembers, which coincided with reporting suggesting that the Trump has already issued orders that were, at a minimum, legally dubious and rejected by top officials.
But this is no longer just a story about the White House lashing out with over-the-top rhetoric at members of Congress, sparking threats of violence against the president’s detractors. The Pentagon issued a statement Monday afternoon that read in part:
The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.). In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added some related thoughts of his own via social media. “The video made by the ‘Seditious Six’ was despicable, reckless, and false,” the beleaguered Pentagon chief wrote. “Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of ‘good order and discipline.’”
Specifically targeting Kelly, the secretary added that the Arizona senator’s conduct “will be addressed appropriately.”
To the extent that reality matters in the public debate over the issue, there are a few relevant details to keep in mind. The first is the Democratic veterans’ video wasn’t “false” at all. It told servicemembers that they shouldn’t follow illegal orders, which is precisely what the Uniform Code of Military Justice requires.
In fact, in an amusing twist, Trump personally published an item to his social media platform on Sunday that echoed the very point that he and his team have been so eager to condemn. Second, with the Jan. 6 attack still lingering in the minds of many, the president and members of his White House Cabinet should probably be a little less inclined to throw around words such as “sedition.” But even if we put all of that aside, there’s a larger context that’s worth keeping mind in the near future: By targeting Kelly, the Trump administration isn’t just investigating yet another White House foe — it’s simultaneously sending a message to active-duty troops about the kind of reactions they should expect if they have legal concerns about the president’s orders.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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