Experts Say Democratic Video Not ‘Seditious,’ as Trump Claims

FactCheck.org® A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center ^ | 11/24/25 | D'Angelo Gore

[DallasBiff]

After six congressional Democrats released a video advising members of the U.S. military and national security community to “refuse illegal orders,” President Donald Trump said the lawmakers should be tried in court for “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” But legal experts told us this was not sedition and that the legislators were restating the law that only lawful orders must be followed.

“Sedition is trying to overthrow the government with force or violence,” Eric R. Carpenter, a professor of law at Florida International University College of Law, said in an email to us. “In the video, the elected officials are just telling service members to follow the law. They are not telling service members to overthrow the government.”

The White House later said that Trump didn’t mean the Democrats should face the death penalty, but the press secretary argued that the video encouraged troops to defy the president.

Here, we cover what the lawmakers said, how Trump responded, and what legal experts have said about the video and the president’s claims.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History
KEYWORDS: annenberg; democrats; ericcarpenter; ericrcarpenter; expertliars; experts; markkelly; military; sedition; subversion; undermining

[Reily]

They were clever all they did was state the code.

[Liz]

“Experts say”.......................rotflol.

[brent13a]

I suggest you look up 18 U.S.C. § 2387 -

(a)Whoever, with intent to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States:
(1)advises, counsels, urges, or in any manner causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States; or
(2)distributes or attempts to distribute any written or printed matter which advises, counsels, or urges insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
(b)For the purposes of this section, the term “military or naval forces of the United States” includes the Army of the United States, the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve of the United States; and, when any merchant vessel is commissioned in the Navy or is in the service of the Army or the Navy, includes the master, officers, and crew of such vessel.

[Migraine]

I think the six lawmakers in question violated their oaths of office. That alone is pretty bad, don’t you think?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Suborning mutiny

[FlipWilson]

Those “experts” they are always saying things.

[Vaduz]

It appears to overthrow the government with force or violence is the democrats objective by their actions.

Media approved

[SpaceBar]

I noticed when this video was released that the language was carefully chosen to be factually correct, yet when taken in context with the people who released it, their positions of authority, and their motives, it clearly demonstrates an attempt to negatively influence morale and/or incite insubordination within the U.S. armed forces. That part is plain as day, and a jury would probably agree.

[FreedBird]

These Democrat Senators are making a desperate attempt to distract from Trump’s successes. They are not interested in going the extra mile, to provide solutions for real problems.

[clintonh8r]

“Experts Say”……..A phrase that’s become laughable.

[Terry L Smith]

I have viewed said video I am a Vietnam/Cold War veteran
Said esteemed determiner can go to Hades. I’ll provide the coin.

Those federal legislators, in my view and according to the U.C.M.J., did by selective paraphrasing said codex, perform seditious deeds.
I urge all my brothers and sisters ‘of the fatigue cloth’, to ignore these plebes’ cackling, and perform your assigned duties as so ordered.

[wafflehouse]

while not (capital S) Sedition, it is seditious behavior specifically designed to incite their (less intelligent) adherents to cause chaos, bloodshed, and bad press for both the unfortunate adherents in the military and Trump.

They attempted to sacrifice their fellow party members for their own political gain.
This is how the left has always operated.

[BatGuano]

NOT SEDITIOUS?

NO BUT INSULTING!
AND
THAT IS WORSE.

Every person whomever was sworn in to Service should be FURIOUS!

[for-q-clinton]

[Tench_Coxe]

[ryderann]

“Restating that training is not sedition.”

IMO it would be subjective...the manner in which it was said, the reason, the target.

Search Assist
Synonyms for “subjective” include personal, biased, individual, and emotional. These words relate to perspectives or opinions that are influenced by personal feelings rather than objective facts.

[BatGuano]

True, “zero credibility.”
I would reply to the, “experts say,” person,”What experts?, You and that dead rat in your pocket?”
(that worked in elementary school)

[evangmlw]

Liberal “experts” of course.

[fwdude]

BS. These insurrectionists are TELLING service member WHAT behaviors they THINK are unlawful, behaviors that they don’t agree with.

[OpusatFR]

You can say whatever you want, but I call it treason.