Pete Hegseth Unloads On Insurrection Video: ‘A Politically-Motivated Influence Operation’
War Secretary Pete Hegseth is blasting a group of congressional Democrats — most of them military veterans — for releasing what he’s calling a “politically-motivated influence operation” aimed at undermining military trust in the chain of command under President Donald Trump.
The controversy centers on a video released by six Democrats, including former CIA analyst and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO). In the video, the lawmakers urge members of the U.S. military to “refuse illegal orders,” while failing to cite any such order or define what that means in practical terms.
Hegseth, a decorated Army veteran himself, didn’t hold back. “The despicable video urging @DeptofWar troops to ‘refuse illegal orders’ may seem harmless to civilians — but it carries a different weight inside the military,” he posted on Tuesday.
“This was a politically-motivated influence operation,” he added. “It never named a specific ‘illegal order.’ It created ambiguity rather than clarity. It used carefully scripted, legal-sounding language. It subtly reframed military obedience around partisan distrust instead of established legal processes.”
Hegseth emphasized the danger of such messaging, especially from individuals who know how the military functions. “In the military, vague rhetoric and ambiguity undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command, and erodes cohesion,” he said. “As veterans of various sorts, the Seditious Six knew exactly what they were doing — sowing doubt through a politically-motivated influence operation.”
The War Secretary made clear the Department of War would not tolerate such efforts to inject partisanship into military loyalty and protocol. “The @DeptofWar won’t fall for it or stand for it,” he said.
Senator Mark Kelly, the only one of the six who is a retired officer, may face even more scrutiny. Hegseth noted earlier this week that Kelly is still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). On Tuesday, Hegseth formally requested a review from the Secretary of the Navy regarding Kelly’s statements in the video and expects a full briefing by December 10.
This development comes as the Department of Justice and FBI are investigating the so-called “Seditious Six” for potentially encouraging insubordination in the armed forces. The White House has not yet issued an official statement on the video, but President Trump has repeatedly called the lawmakers’ actions “seditious” and “reckless.”
— Department of War ?? (@DeptofWar) November 25, 2025