Fox News’ Martha MacCallum questioned Democratic Colorado Rep. Jason Crow on Wednesday over a video urging military service members to refuse “illegal orders,” pressing him repeatedly to identify any action by President Donald Trump that violated federal law.

Crow appeared on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” after joining five other Democratic lawmakers with prior military or intelligence backgrounds in a video posted by Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

In the video, they told service members to “ignore illegal orders.”

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MacCallum asked Crow to provide a specific example of an unlawful directive by the president.

“I did make videos about it as a matter of fact. I pushed back on Joe Biden. I pushed back on Donald Trump. I pushed back on Barack Obama. I pushed back on George W. Bush because I had to fight those wars,” Crow said.

MacCallum responded that the message released by the group lacked clarity.

“But at least that was something specific … No, I think that what this president has said is that he has not taken us to war. That he wants to prevent war. That he wants to extract us from situations where we’re putting… We’ve said from the beginning that we won’t have any boots on the ground,” she said.

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Crow argued that Trump believes he can “bomb his way out of” any situation, citing the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities and missile strikes on ships carrying drugs in the Caribbean.

MacCallum said the message from the Democratic lawmakers was too vague and could cause uncertainty for active-duty personnel.

“I’m trying to figure out specifically what your issue is,” MacCallum said.

“And so for members, prominent members of the United States Congress to tell young men and women of the military that they should not abide by illegal orders and to leave it so vague and to talk about comments that have been made in the past and what they might lead to, I think could potentially be very confusing for young men and women who have committed to service, which you honorably did and I commend you for the sacrifice that you made.”

Crow said moral clarity was necessary.

“I’m going to respond to that. Military service is tough. It’s really tough. We send our men and women into very difficult, very sometimes untenable situations. I know that. I’ve been in those situations. That’s why moral clarity. That’s why reminding people about what their obligations are,” he said.

MacCallum told Crow that he and others had “grabbed something and twisted it and contorted it,” adding that the message could mislead young service members into believing they were being ordered to act unlawfully.

“Some might say that you have grabbed something and twisted it and contorted it,” MacCallum said.

“You have you know, you’re talking to young members of the American military and you’re not telling them specifically what it is they should see as illegal. So you’re putting ideas into their head that maybe they’re being asked to do something illegal. And what we’re seeing actually is recruitment rising and people wanting to join the military under the president.”

Crow responded by suggesting MacCallum did not believe troops could follow federal law. MacCallum said she has “great respect” for service members.

In the original video, Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly claimed Trump was “pitting” military and intelligence personnel “against American citizens.”

Slotkin, Kelly, and Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Deluzio asserted that service members may “refuse illegal orders” to uphold the Constitution.

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution designates the president as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and head of the executive branch, which oversees agencies including the FBI and CIA.

Slotkin has previously accused the U.S. military of violating constitutional rights.

During a June 18 hearing with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, she asked whether he directed soldiers to use “lethal force” on peaceful protesters.

Hegseth denied the claim and said she should be cautious about believing information without verification.

Kelly told NBC News that personnel might face “legal jeopardy” if maritime strikes in the Caribbean were later deemed unlawful.

Hegseth wrote on X that the lawmakers involved had “Stage 4 [Trump Derangement Syndrome].”

Stage 4 TDS. https://t.co/HScieod06n

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 18, 2025

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