FBI Seeks Interviews With Democratic Lawmakers Who Warned Troops Against Illegal Orders

The FBI has requested interviews with six Democratic members of Congress who publicly urged U.S. military personnel to refuse any unlawful orders, a Justice Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.

Fox News first reported the request. It comes a day after the Pentagon threatened to recall Senator Mark Kelly—a Navy veteran and one of the six lawmakers—to active duty, raising the possibility of military charges after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused him on social media of “treasonous” behavior.

The other lawmakers featured alongside Kelly in a video released last week included Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Iraq War veteran, and Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan—all military veterans.

They recorded the message amid growing Democratic concerns—privately echoed by some U.S. military commanders—that the Trump administration was violating the law by ordering strikes on vessels suspected of carrying drug traffickers in Latin American waters.

The Pentagon has argued the strikes are lawful because the traffickers are treated as terrorists.

Trump Accuses Lawmakers of Treason

Former President Donald Trump accused the six Democrats of treason, noting in a social media post that the crime is punishable by death.

His administration has repeatedly broken long-standing norms by using the Justice Department and other law enforcement agencies to pursue perceived political enemies.

The Justice Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FBI interviews were meant “to determine whether any wrongdoing occurred and then proceed from there.” The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement on Monday, Kelly called the Pentagon’s threat an attempt at intimidation.