A group of veteran lawmakers, led by Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01) and Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-01), introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning six members of Congress for urging military and intelligence personnel to independently judge presidential orders. The resolution targets Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as Representatives Jason Crow (CO-06), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Margaret Goodlander (NH-01), and Christina Houlahan (PA-06).
The controversy began after these six lawmakers released a video on November 18, 2025, in which they accused the Trump Administration of “pitting” the military and intelligence community against American citizens. In the video, they called on servicemembers and intelligence professionals to assess the legality of presidential orders themselves and promised support if those individuals refused directives they considered “illegal.” When asked for evidence of unlawful orders, Senator Slotkin stated she was “not aware of things [orders] that are illegal,” while others did not provide proof.
The resolution states: “Denouncing dangerous and seditious rhetoric by Membersof Congress and expressing condemnation of SenatorMark Kelly, Senator Elissa Slotkin, Representative JasonCrow, Representative Christopher Deluzio, RepresentativeMaggie Goodlander, and Representative ChrissyHoulahan for attempting to sow disallegiance amongstmembers of the United States military and intelligencecommunity and encouraging them to act against theCommander in Chief and President of the United Statesand violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
It further reads: “Whereas Congress, which holds the power to declare war, wasso concerned that the chain of command could be underminedby individuals encouraging disloyalty by membersof the military that it made it a Federal crime to advise,counsel, urge, or in any manner cause or attempt tocause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal ofduty by any member of the military;Whereas, in a video posted on November 18, 2025, and widelydisseminated across social media and the news, theaforementioned Members of Congress urged the militaryand intelligence communities to defy ‘‘illegal’’ orders, insinuating,without evidence, that the administration hasbeen issuing these types of orders;Whereas UCMJ case law has held that orders are presumedlawful, outside of those obviously unlawful, and are ‘‘disobeyedat the peril of the subordinate’’, without considerationto the ‘‘person’s conscience, religion, or personalphilosophy’’;”
If passed by the House of Representatives: “…denounces the dangerous and seditious rhetoric spewing from these six Members of Congress that has led to anenvironment placing troops and their loved ones at riskof harm, compromising and undermining the national security of the United States and the peaceful coexistenceand respect deserved by our brave men and women servingin the military and the intelligence community.”
The measure is co-sponsored by several other veteran lawmakers from various states.
Rick Crawford currently represents Arkansas’ 1st district in Congress. He has served since 2011 after succeeding Marion Berry. Born at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida in 1966,
he now lives in Jonesboro. Crawford graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in 1996.
