Navy Corpsman Jordan Lamber recites oath of enlistment during reenlistment ceremony in Dragsvik, Finland, Nov. 10, 2025. Image via US Navy
Q1. Last week, six Democratic senators with military and intelligence backgrounds issued a 90-second video addressing service members.
A quote from the video: “Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This (Trump) administration is pitting our unformed military and intelligence community against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Right now, the threats to it aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. Refuse illegal orders.”
According to Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), service members have a duty to “disobey illegal orders” such as those to commit a crime or violate the Constitution, but failure to obey a lawful order is also punishable.
What is your take on the video? (check all that apply)
A quote from the video: “Americans trust their military, but that trust is at risk. This (Trump) administration is pitting our unformed military and intelligence community against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Right now, the threats to it aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. Refuse illegal orders.”
According to Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), service members have a duty to “disobey illegal orders” such as those to commit a crime or violate the Constitution, but failure to obey a lawful order is also punishable.
What is your take on the video? (check all that apply)
(Image: UCMJ incorporates principle established at Nuremberg Trials that following orders is not defense for illegal acts. Field Marshall List receiving sentence, Nuremberg, 1946. Wikimedia)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
I have seen the video
71%
70%
72%
77%
56%
69%
65%
68%
74%
73%
71%
Have not
21%
22%
21%
13%
38%
25%
35%
25%
17%
18%
21%
It was done mostly to advise service members
46%
39%
52%
5%
51%
81%
59%
40%
42%
51%
46%
Was done mostly as a political stunt
49%
59%
40%
91%
46%
10%
43%
56%
49%
43%
49%
Video is accurate on the facts
50%
44%
56%
8%
56%
88%
55%
48%
47%
56%
50%
Is not
31%
39%
25%
68%
21%
1%
14%
39%
33%
30%
31%
I approve of the video
49%
44%
55%
4%
60%
88%
61%
46%
45%
55%
49%
Disapprove
45%
53%
38%
94%
31%
4%
27%
50%
50%
41%
45%
Not sure
4%
1%
5%
1%
3%
7%
10%
4%
2%
2%
4%
Don't care
0%
1%
0%
0%
2%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
Q2. Whan one of the six Senators, former CIA officer Elissa Slotkin (D, MI), was asked in an interview which orders given by the Trump administration are illegal, she referred to the aerial attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, which she says have taken place without first confirming the identity of those on board the boat or its contents.
When another of the six, Navy veteran and former astronaut Mark Kelly (D, AZ) was asked, he cited President Trump's talk of physically harming ICE raid protesters and the raids themselves, some of which have swept up American citizens or targeted people based on ethnicity, language, and place of work.
Which do you think involved illegal orders from the Trump administration? (check all that apply)
When another of the six, Navy veteran and former astronaut Mark Kelly (D, AZ) was asked, he cited President Trump's talk of physically harming ICE raid protesters and the raids themselves, some of which have swept up American citizens or targeted people based on ethnicity, language, and place of work.
Which do you think involved illegal orders from the Trump administration? (check all that apply)
(Image: Lt William Calley during his court-martial, Ft Benning, GA, April 1971. Calley's unsuccessful defense in My Lai massacre was obeying orders. Wikimedia)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Attacks on alleged drug boats - legal
47%
53%
42%
93%
35%
7%
31%
46%
53%
45%
47%
Illegal
51%
44%
56%
4%
61%
92%
59%
51%
46%
55%
51%
Handling of protestors - legal
46%
54%
40%
92%
36%
6%
31%
48%
51%
45%
46%
Illegal
50%
41%
56%
3%
56%
92%
55%
50%
45%
54%
50%
Conduct of deportation raids - legal
46%
54%
40%
92%
38%
6%
31%
48%
51%
45%
46%
Illegal
49%
42%
55%
3%
59%
90%
59%
47%
44%
54%
49%
Not sure
3%
4%
2%
3%
6%
2%
12%
3%
2%
1%
3%
Don't care
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Q3. After the release of the video, President Trump posted "It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET."
Secretary of War/Defense Pete Hegseth subsequently announced that his department was investigating "serious allegations of misconduct" by Kelly to determine further actions which may include "recall for active duty for court-martial proceedings."
What do you think of these reactions? (check all that apply)
Secretary of War/Defense Pete Hegseth subsequently announced that his department was investigating "serious allegations of misconduct" by Kelly to determine further actions which may include "recall for active duty for court-martial proceedings."
What do you think of these reactions? (check all that apply)
(Image: WW I veteran Billy Mitchell seen here during 1925 court-martial was found guilty of insubordination after making public statements critical of military leadership's failure to invest in air power. Wikimedia)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Approve of Trump's reaction to video
39%
44%
34%
79%
25%
5%
35%
36%
42%
39%
39%
Disapprove
59%
54%
62%
16%
74%
94%
65%
62%
53%
59%
59%
Approve of Hegseth's reaction
43%
49%
37%
87%
28%
5%
37%
44%
45%
40%
43%
Disapprove
54%
50%
57%
9%
69%
92%
63%
51%
51%
57%
54%
Want Senators to face legal action
43%
47%
40%
87%
25%
6%
24%
44%
49%
41%
43%
Do not
52%
48%
56%
7%
70%
90%
65%
51%
46%
56%
52%
Not sure
3%
2%
3%
3%
2%
3%
0%
5%
3%
1%
3%
Don't care
1%
0%
0%
0%
1%
1%
0%
2%
0%
1%
Poll Comments (112)
Entities in this poll: (rate or comment)
