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Former Army captain warns Dems’ ‘unpatriotic’ video telling troops to defy orders could spark chaos
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A video featuring six Democrats telling U.S. troops to reject unlawful orders has sparked backlash, with President Donald Trump declaring it to be «seditious behavior.»
Former U.S. Army Captain Doug Truax, founder of Restoration of America, told Fox News Digital the video risks undermining the military’s chain of command and increasing political tensions across the country.
«This is one of the most unpatriotic things I’ve seen in my lifetime,» Truax told Fox News Digital.
Truax argued that the undermining of the military’s chain of command would cause chaos with troops suddenly questioning orders based on morality and not legality. He said that putting the onus on service members was «not fair to them» because they are facing difficult tasks and have no interest in getting involved in political matters.
SIX DEMOCRATS URGE MILITARY MEMBERS TO ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’ IN VIRAL VIDEO; HEGSETH RESPONDS
Protesters demonstrate near members of the National Guard as they stand watch outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 20, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
The video, which was released last week, featured Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo. All the lawmakers in the video have various service backgrounds, including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Central Intelligence Agency.
In the video, which has since gone viral, the lawmakers tell U.S. military members that they can and must reject illegal orders, something Truax said service members know. He argued that the Democrats in the video were «blurring lines.»
«You’ve got the situation where you have elected officials that are basically telling our people in uniform that if you don’t think that this is a good idea, you don’t have to do it, which, you know, they’re never required to obey illegal orders. Everybody knows that. They’re blurring lines here,» Truax said.
He added that this kind of message causes «an incredible amount of apprehension» for those on the ground who may second guess orders that are lawful. Truax also underscored the importance of the chain of command within the military, saying that without it there would be «a lot of chaos.»
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed a similar sentiment on Tuesday, writing in a post on X, «The despicable video urging [DOW] troops to ‘refuse illegal orders’ may seem harmless to civilians — but it carries a different weight inside the military.»
«In the military, vague rhetoric and ambiguity undermines trust, creates hesitation in the chain of command and erodes cohesion. The military already has clear procedures for handling unlawful orders. It does not need political actors injecting doubt into an already clear chain of command,» Hegseth added.
,DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ‘NOT AWARE’ IF TRUMP GAVE ANY ILLEGAL MILITARY ORDERS AMID VIDEO CONTROVERSY
When asked about those who defend the lawmakers based on their service background, Truax said that their experience in uniform makes the video even worse.
«They should know better,» he said. «This is all about political power. I think that everybody in there. They know they’re losing political power over time here because the country is moving in a direction that’s more conservative and less chaos and less lawlessness. So, they’re trying to find ways to maintain their political power.»
Truax argued that the video is especially dangerous due to the volatile political environment, pointing to the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the near assassination of Trump. He accused the lawmakers in the video of stoking the flames of division.
«We’ve got a lot of political violence already. The president was almost killed. Charlie Kirk was assassinated. We just have a lot of stuff going on right now, and then you got these guys coming out and doing this. You know, I think most Americans would say this is not a good idea. We don’t need more fuel on the fire with what these guys are doing,» Truax told Fox News Digital.
He didn’t hold back in his criticism of the lawmakers, calling them a «sophisticated D.C. cocktail version of Antifa.» He said that they are trying to «fray the country further.»
DEPUTY AG BLASTS DEMOCRATS’ ‘ABHORRENT’ VIDEO URGING TROOPS TO ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’
The U.S. Capitol building is visible behind Nadine Seiler of Waldorf, Maryland, who holds a sign that reads, «What Trump Order Won’t You Obey?» as she stands next to National Guard troops outside Union Station on Aug. 20, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Despite saying the video’s message could cause chaos in the ranks, Truax said he does not think active duty service members will be impacted by the fallout. However, he thinks that the National Guard and reservists will face issues when they «find themselves in difficult situations in some city, following legal and lawful orders.»
Truax warned that the U.S. could be repeating past mistakes by politicizing the military, drawing comparison to how troops were treated after the Vietnam War. After fighting an intense war, soldiers faced immense criticism upon their return home. Truax shared an example that hit close to home. His father-in-law served in Vietnam and earned a Purple Heart before going on to serve in the Army for 20 years.
The U.S. Capitol is seen as members of the National Guard patrol the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 8, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
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«When he came back it wasn’t pretty. And he’s a young guy, wounded, serving his country,» Truax said. «He still thinks about it. He’s fine now, but it was a terrible time.»
He said that «nobody wants» to see soldiers sent to do difficult and dangerous tasks only to come back and find themselves being politically targeted for serving their country.
politics,military,army,senate,democrats senate,democrats
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Several Democratic lawmakers are hosting State of the Union guests who have come under scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security, including suspected illegal immigrants, Dreamers and citizens arrested for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
A Fox News correspondent received the list when inquiring with the agency about a tweet released earlier Tuesday that said some Democrats are «planning to bring illegal aliens as guests to the State of the Union.»
«Once again, they are putting illegal aliens above the safety of American citizens. Yesterday alone our officers arrested pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals from our communities.
«President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never return,» the agency said in its tweet.
A Fox News Digital review of the list found guests with varied backgrounds and circumstances.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is reportedly hosting Aliya Rahman, who was detained during an operation targeting Ecuadorian national Jonathan Chachipanta-Pualacin Jan. 13.
Members of Congress begin to arrive in the House Chamber before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., 24, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
«ICE executed an arrest warrant to arrest an illegal alien with a final order of removal in the Park Avenue area of Minneapolis. ICE officers apprehended four illegal aliens,» a DHS spokesperson said.
«As officers carried out their law enforcement duties, a significant crowd surrounded them and began impeding law enforcement operations — a federal crime. One agitator ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene. She was arrested for obstruction,» the spokesperson added.
DHS further disputed claims from outlets such as the CBC that reported Rahman was denied medical care after being pulled from her vehicle and detained.
DHS SLAMS DEMS FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAW: ‘IT IS QUITE LITERALLY THEIR JOB TO CHANGE IT’
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., arrives for a town hall event in Minneapolis Jan. 27, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Another Omar guest, Mary Granlund, is a local school board chairwoman who has taken action since the detention of a 5-year-old at Columbia Heights School, according to a statement from Omar’s office.
Granlund works with a group of faculty members who are «conducting daily patrols, working to connect detained children and families with legal assistance and coordinating food deliveries for families too scared to leave their homes,» Omar’s office said.
A DHS spokesperson said ICE does not go into schools and instead targets child predators to protect those same children.
Rep. Jesus Garcia’s guest is Marimar Martinez, who DHS alleged was part of an «ambush» of federal officers in October and whom the agency labeled a «domestic terrorist.»
Martinez, who was reportedly armed and «has a history of doxxing federal agents,» «took defensive fire» from CBP and was later taken into FBI custody after a hospital stay.
When asked about the criticism, Garcia told Fox News Digital, «I invited Marimar Martinez to be my guest to the State of the Union because her own government almost murdered her and is now covering it up by smearing her and failing to hold Charles Exum and other agents accountable.
DHS SAYS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS HELPED CHILD RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS EVADE DEPORTATION
Sen. Richard Durbin, left, Rep. Jesus Garcia (Reuters)
«This is their playbook,» the Chicago lawmaker added. «I’m proud that Marimar is my guest. Her courage stands in stark contrast to the cowardice and brutality of DHS and the rest of this lawless Administration.»
In a prior statement, Garcia said that a Border Patrol agent «brutally shot Marimar and bragged about it, and the Trump administration wrongly called her a ‘domestic terrorist’.»
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the forefather of the DREAM Act, invited Tereza Lee, a pianist and daughter of Korean immigrants whom Durbin said is the inspiration behind the legislation he has put forth in each Congress since 2001. The latest version was introduced in 2025 and co-sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
In a statement Monday, Durbin announced Lee’s invitation, crediting her «bravery for sharing her story» and adding that President Donald Trump’s «animus towards immigrants is on full display in his second term.»
DHS noted the DREAM Act would «allow noncitizens without legal status who were brought to the U.S. as children and meet certain education, military service or work requirements — to earn lawful permanent residence.»
Another Illinois lawmaker, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, is inviting the daughter of a man detained by DHS during the height of Operation Midway Blitz.
DHS DEMANDS MN LEADERS HONOR ICE DETAINERS, ALLEGES HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER WALZ
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., answers questions during a news conference about the recent congressional delegation trip to the Indo-Pacific region on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 2022. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo)
«Donald Trump can try to rewrite his record tonight, but communities across America are living with the consequences of militarized immigration operations that have terrorized families and left Americans dead,» Krishnamoorthi said in announcing that he invited University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Jamie to join him.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., is inviting Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a man whom DHS said was detained in May 2024 while driving the car of his father, who was being sought by authorities.
Marcelo’s student visa had lapsed, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that the «facts [of his case] haven’t changed.»
«[He] is still an illegal alien and subject to removal proceedings. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country.»
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is hosting a Venezuelan immigrant whose son was detained during a May 2025 immigration court hearing and is now being held in Pennsylvania.
«Dylan Josue Lopez Contreras is an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the U.S. more than one year ago. Under the Biden administration, he was encountered at the border and released into the country,» a DHS spokesperson countered.
NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’
«On May 21, 2025, Contreras was arrested and placed in expedited removal proceedings. Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. [Joe] Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
«ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.»
Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., is hosting Stephanie Quintino, whose parents, Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez, have been deported to Colombia, according to the agency.
Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., is hosting Carolina Dias-Goncalves, a Dreamer at the University of Utah who was temporarily held at an ICE detention center after a Colorado traffic stop.
Rep. Robert Menendez Jr., D-N.J., is honoring Adriana Quiroz Zapata, an asylum seeker from Colombia who reports said fled a violent and «politically connected» former partner with his choice of guest.
Zapata’s niece, Monica Van Housen, who has been working to prevent Zapata from being deported, will be joining Menendez in the chamber.
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«Adriana, Monica and their family deserve so much better from America than what Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, and ICE have subjected them to,» Menendez told the New Jersey Globe.
Fox News Digital reached out to each member mentioned by DHS for comment.
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homeland security,state of the union,ilhan omar,democrats,illegal immigrants
INTERNACIONAL
Russian ‘dark fleet’ tanker believed to be delivering oil to Cuba, detected off US coast amid Trump ban
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A tanker allegedly carrying Russian fuel en route to Cuba is using deceptive «dark fleet» tactics, including signal manipulation and offshore ship-to-ship transfers, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward.
According to MarineTraffic, the vessel, called Sea Horse, was located Tuesday on the U.S. East Coast with its signal, noted as «roaming.»
The move comes as the U.S. pressured Cuba’s fuel supplies, disrupting deliveries and targeting third-party countries that provide oil, following new sanctions and the detention of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
On Jan. 29, President Donald Trump also signed an executive order declaring a national emergency with respect to Cuba and authorizing tariffs on imports from countries that sell or supply oil there.
Windward reported that the Russian oil tanker initially broadcast Havana as its destination on Feb. 7, and was «Hong Kong-flagged» before quietly changing tack. Windward said the tanker had an expected arrival in Cuba in early March.
The Gabon-flagged crude oil tanker NS Concord at the Port of Matanzas in Matanzas, Cuba, on Saturday, March 30, 2024. (Yander Zamora/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The vessel altered its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal to show it would arrive in the «Caribbean Sea» within two weeks — a vague designation the firm said is often used to hide a ship’s final port of call.
The destination was later switched again to Gibraltar for orders, even after the tanker had already transited the strait, a move Windward described as inconsistent with standard commercial routing.
Windward’s analysis also suggests the vessel loaded its cargo through a ship-to-ship (STS) transfer conducted offshore near Cyprus.
RUSSIAN OIL TANKER ‘THE GRINCH’ INTERCEPTED AS US, ALLIES ESCALATE SANCTIONS CRACKDOWN
A tanker sailing under the flag of Cuba, arrives at the port of Havana on Feb. 9. (Yamil Lage / AFP via Getty Images)
During the loading process, the tanker’s AIS signal was temporarily switched off — «a tactic of deceptive maritime operations designed to avoid regulatory scrutiny,» Windward said.
Windward data also shows the vessel’s draft increased on Feb. 8, several days after leaving an area used for floating storage and transshipment of Russian middle distillate cargoes originating from Black Sea ports.
The tanker had loitered in that zone for roughly two weeks before departing, Windward said.
«Ship-to-ship transfers outside territorial waters, where port-state oversight is limited, have become a common practice in oil trade to circumvent sanctions and regulatory scrutiny,» Windward noted.
‘IRREGULAR’ ARMED GUARDS ABOARD RUSSIAN SHADOW TANKERS ALARM NORDIC-BALTIC GOVERNMENTS
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, right, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in 2024. (Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The company added that AIS manipulation, offshore transfers and ambiguous destination reporting are now standard features of shadow-fleet activity sustaining Russian oil exports despite any U.S. sanctions.
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Cuba is also facing an energy crisis that has worsened in recent weeks after oil shipments from Venezuela, its primary supplier, were halted following U.S. action in early January.
Mexico, another major supplier, also suspended oil shipments, according to The Associated Press.
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cuba,world,russia,sanctions,donald trump,world politics,venezuelan political crisis
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