Six Lawmakers Cited Military Law. Trump Called for Their Execution

The Gist:
Six lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds posted a video reminding troops they can refuse illegal orders—restating basic UCMJ law every service member learns. Trump called it “seditious behavior, punishable by DEATH” and demanded their arrest and trial. Even his allies called it “over the top.” The message to active-duty troops is clear: there’s no middle ground between absolute loyalty and being branded a traitor. Military law that’s protected service members since Nuremberg is now being framed as sedition.

If you’ve never served, here’s something most civilians don’t understand: the moment you raise your right hand and take the oath, you step outside the civilian legal system. You’re no longer governed primarily by the Constitution in your day-to-day duties—you’re under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

When I went through training, they made one thing clear: you must obey lawful orders, and you must refuse unlawful orders. Specifically, you must refu…