Spencer: Kent Street Coalition Backs 6 Dems Reminding The Military To Refuse Illegal Orders

By LOUISE SPENCER, InDepth NH

Illegal Orders are Illegal! Join us in support of NH’s own Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander and the other five United States Senators and Representatives who are standing up for the Constitution. These six former military members are merely reminding the military and intelligence communities to follow their oath and refuse illegal orders. Our support is essential as these individuals are facing unprecedented attacks for standing up for the Constitution.
When: Wednesday November 26, 2025 12 Noon-1:00PM
Where: State House Arch in Concord
Email kentstreetcommunications@gmail.com if you would like more information about this event.

At the Kent Street Coalition, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law. President Trump’s recent threats against sitting members of Congress, including New Hampshire’s own Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, are unprecedented in the danger they present to elected public servants and to the most foundational institutions of American democracy.

For simply, yet courageously, releasing a video reminding U.S. military personnel of their solemn obligation to refuse illegal orders, these six members of congress, all military veterans themselves, have been accused of sedition by Trump, who went on to say “punishable by death”. By stating that members of Congress should be executed, even reposting a call for their hanging, Trump has recklessly and knowingly encouraged violence against American elected officials. Most recently, Trump has ordered the Pentagon to investigate these office-holding veterans for possible court martial proceedings.

We condemn without reservation Trump’s attacks on these patriotic and brave public servants. Trump’s threats represent an alarming abuse of presidential power and a continuation of his assault on the checks and balances our founders so carefully established. His actions reveal once again that Trump sees himself more as a dictator than an elected president bound by his oath to the US Constitution.

We further call out Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and others in GOP leadership who have attempted to justify Trump’s actions and instead shift blame onto those Trump has attacked. After so vociferously arguing that mere political dissent can lead to political violence, their failure to call out violent threats made by the President of the United States against their own colleagues is notable for its sycophantic hypocrisy. Much more importantly, their failure is notable for contributing to the very real danger their colleagues now face. Already, and foreseeably, bomb threats have been made against five of the six lawmakers in the video, including Rep. Goodlander. Social media is ablaze with calls to arrest, execute and otherwise do harm to the six, with Trump continuing to double down on his attacks, reposting these despicable messages. By ordering formal investigations by the Department of War, Trump is further endangering these brave legislators.

We commend the courage and patriotism it took for Representative Goodlander and the other members of Congress to speak directly to military service members, especially in an environment of ever-escalating polarization and threats. Their message is a vital reminder of the moral and legal responsibilities all service members bear—not only to defend our country, but to do so in a manner consistent with the Constitution, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and international law. Ignoring this obligation threatens the integrity we hope for; it also opens the door to grave abuses and risks the very individual freedoms our armed forces are sworn to protect. We must never fail to heed the warnings of Nuremberg and the My Lai Massacre.

While sadly we do not expect Trump to retract his threats and affirm his commitment to constitutional norms, we urge our fellow Granite Staters to see his threats for what they are: an attempt to unravel the very fabric of our constitutional republic.

We salute Congresswoman Goodlander for joining with other proud veterans in the US House and Senate to affirm that members of the military, and indeed public servants and citizens alike, swear allegiance to the Constitution only - never to a person, to a president, to a dictator. We all bear the responsibility to disobey illegal orders. Democracy is in our hands.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jscfeul7c4QCuCJLtegJVSCdJc6G_KOHHjDq95r-JFA/edit?usp=sharingWith eyes on the prize.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.