White House Rebukes Major Media Outlets for Reports on Video Advising Troops to Reject Unlawful Orders

WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday evening publicly criticized the Boston Globe, CBS News and The Independent, calling the three organizations its latest “media offender of the week” for how they reported on a video in which six Democratic lawmakers remind U.S. service members that they are legally entitled to refuse unlawful commands.

The lawmakers — all veterans or former national-security officials — posted the video last week. In it, they address military personnel directly, stating that troops “must not follow illegal orders” and urging them to consult their chain of command and legal advisers if faced with such a situation. The release immediately drew condemnation from President Donald Trump, who labeled the initiative “seditious behavior” and said that actions of that kind would once have been punishable by death.

The White House communications office argued on Friday that the three news outlets mischaracterized the administration’s position and failed to provide adequate context. According to the statement, the reports “falsely imply” that Trump has attempted to direct the military to break the law and that the president’s comments about sedition were taken out of historical context. Spokespeople for the Boston Globe, CBS News and The Independent did not respond to a CNBC request for comment on the administration’s accusations.

Federal investigators have become involved in the controversy. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking voluntary interviews with Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and the five other lawmakers who appeared in the video. Agents want to clarify the intent behind the message and determine whether any classified information or protected communications were disclosed, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. No subpoenas or formal criminal allegations have been announced.

The administration maintains that the president has never issued an unlawful order. Nevertheless, military law specialists and some members of Congress continue to raise concerns about recent U.S. operations in the Caribbean targeting suspected narcotics traffickers. Critics point to the principle of distinction under the laws of armed conflict and say that lethal force against non-combatant crews may violate both domestic statutes and international agreements.

On Friday morning, The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a classified briefing, verbally instructed special-operations personnel to “kill all crew members” aboard a vessel believed to be transporting cocaine. The Post cited unnamed defense officials who said the directive was issued without a written legal determination and was carried out, resulting in multiple deaths. Pentagon representatives have not publicly commented on the article’s assertions.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., a former Marine Corps infantry officer, told the newspaper that any U.S. personnel involved in the incident could one day face prosecution, “either as a war crime or outright murder.” While the White House did not refer directly to Moulton’s remarks, officials argued that accounts of the mission are incomplete and that critics lack access to the classified rules of engagement.

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The dispute places additional scrutiny on the boundaries of lawful military conduct. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, service members are required to obey lawful orders but must refuse those that are “manifestly illegal.” That standard, rooted in precedents dating back to the post-World War II Nuremberg trials, obliges troops to make difficult judgments in real time. The video released by the six Democrats underscores that obligation, contending that no chain of command can override it.

Trump’s allies say the Democrats’ video undermines the commander in chief and could sow confusion in the ranks. Supporters of the lawmakers respond that reinforcing legal and ethical obligations enhances, rather than diminishes, military readiness. The debate comes as the administration pursues a more aggressive stance against transnational criminal networks and steps up deployments in regions where conventional combat frameworks do not always cleanly apply.

Although the president’s Thanksgiving remarks in Palm Beach shifted attention back to the controversy, the administration has yet to indicate whether it will take formal action against the six lawmakers or the media organizations it singled out. For now, the White House continues to insist that the commander in chief has adhered to both domestic and international law, while opponents contend that recent operations and rhetoric present unresolved legal challenges for the armed forces.

Crédito da imagem: Anna Rose Layden / Reuters