Rep. Maggie Goodlander joined a group of fellow Democrats in posting a video message to members of the U.S. military, urging them to consider ignoring orders issued under the authority of Commander in Chief Donald Trump.
The video is a montage featuring members of Congress, including Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), along with Reps. Goodlander, Jason Crow (D-Colo.), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), among others.
All are veterans — Goodlander spent 10 years in the Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer — and they say they banded together to “speak directly to members of the military and the intelligence community.”
This administration, they warn, is a “threat to the Constitution.”
“Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” Goodlander and her fellow Democrats tell service members.
“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home.”
Goodlander and her colleagues conclude by reminding men and women in uniform: “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”
Goodlander is married to Jake Sullivan, who served as President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor. During those four years, Biden ordered military strikes in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen without congressional approval.
According to some veterans, the message borders on encouraging members of the U.S. military to commit treason.
“As a proud veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and the N.H. National Guard, this is outrageous,” said Hollie Noveletsky, who’s running in the NH-01 GOP primary.
“The idea that President Trump (the elected commander in chief of our armed forces) is threatening to use the military against American citizens is fear-mongering and an absolute lie.
“If Rep. Goodlander and congressional Democrats actually cared about our troops, maybe they wouldn’t have cut them off from their pay while shutting the government down to fight for healthcare for illegals,” she added.
“I thought it was a parody at first,” said state Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran.
“Who do they think determines what’s lawful and what’s not?” she asked.
Birdsell told NHJournal she is “deeply disappointed in Congresswoman Goodlander, that she would put her fellow military brethren in jeopardy.
“These members of Congress are out of the service now, but they are willing to entice military personnel to disobey orders and get court-martialed. They are shameless.”
“A very disturbing video,” added state Rep. Michael Moffett (R-Loudon), a Marine veteran who served in the Middle East.
“At Marine Corps Mess Nights, we always faithfully toasted our commander-in-chief, whether we liked them or not, be it Clinton, Bush, or Obama,” Moffett said. “This (attitude) is a huge threat to military discipline and the good order required. Very dangerous and disappointing to see partisanship introduced to our military culture in this way.”
Former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who is running for the GOP nomination in the 2026 Senate primary, spent 35 years in the National Guard, much of it as an attorney in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. He said these members of Congress have a duty to be specific if they are going to make an appeal like this.
“All of these people (in the video) are Democrats, they have a grudge, they have no message,” Brown told NHJournal. “They also have military or governmental experience. So if the president is doing something wrong, they should let us know what exactly it is.”
Top Trump aide Stephen Miller posted on social media, “Democrat lawmakers are now openly calling for insurrection.”
“Stage 4 TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome),” remarked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
