By now, you’re aware of the video featuring Democratic lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds, including Sen. Mark Kelly and Sen. Elissa Slotkin. The video urges service members to refuse what they claim are illegal orders from Trump. There’s just one problem. The Democrats didn’t bother to specify what these supposedly illegal orders actually are.
In a conversation with podcaster Emily Jashinsky, journalist Matt Taibbi compared the Democrats’ recent push to get military and intelligence personnel to defy President Donald Trump to the Russiagate scandal.
“It’s such blatant, bad, overwrought propaganda. And this whole idea of you can refuse to obey illegal orders — well, that’s always been true. And we’ve had a gazillion, uh, illegalities in government that the Democrats didn’t say a word about for decades,” Taibbi said. “So why now? And also just this general notion of encouraging an uprising, essentially — I don’t know. I mean, there are so many things about modern politics that just make you shake your head and say we’re just in this new territory. I don’t even know how to think about it, honestly.”
Taibbi continued, “That’s beyond insubordinate or unhelpful. It reminds me again of the beginning of Russiagate, when there were all these leaks about encouraging people not to share intelligence with the United States,” he continued. “Yes, that made Trump look bad, but it also made the United States look weak and vulnerable, and sent the signal that the country was in schism and maybe the government was not stable. Is that what they’re trying to project? I mean, is that right? I don’t think so.”
But Taibbi’s genuine concern goes deeper than partisan hypocrisy. He warned that encouraging military disobedience amounts to promoting an uprising, a dangerous game with potentially catastrophic consequences for government stability. “That’s beyond insubordinate or unhelpful,” he said.
🚨NEW: @mtaibbi tells @emilyjashinsky that Dems’ call for military to *DISOBEY TRUMP* reminds him of “BEGINNING OF RUSSIAGATE”🚨
“It’s such blatant, bad, overwrought propaganda … It reminds me again of the beginning of Russiagate when there were all these leaks about… pic.twitter.com/57wvbFZLVm
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) November 21, 2025
The comparison to Russiagate makes perfect sense. During that manufactured crisis, leaks and institutional sabotage made Trump look bad. Still, they also made America look weak and divided to the rest of the world, over a blatant falsehood.
ICYMI: Hakeem Jeffries Flips Out on CNBC After Anchor Calls Him Out on Obamacare
The Democrats involved in the video have taken their message to the media, and the most common explanation they give is Trump’s use of the National Guard to help enforce immigration law in various cities where the leadership has refused to do so. Democrats insist it’s illegal, conveniently forgetting that past presidents have federalized the National Guard for all sorts of purposes of enforcing federal law.
President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard in 1957 with Executive Order 10730, sending 1,000 troops from the 101st Airborne Division to enforce school desegregation at Little Rock Central High School. President John F. Kennedy did the same thing three times. In 1962, he activated the Mississippi National Guard to stop the chaos surrounding the enrollment of James Meredith, the first black student admitted to the University of Mississippi. In 1963, he ordered the Alabama National Guard to enforce desegregation.
So why are Democrats selling the fantasy that Trump’s use of troops to enforce federal law crosses some legal line? The reason is obvious. They hate his agenda and spin it as illegal to stir turmoil and chip away at his authority. Their collapse during the Schumer Shutdown left them scrambling for something to change the subject. The Epstein email fiasco blew up in their faces, and now they need a new distraction.
Want to support fearless journalism that exposes the Left and tells the stories the media won’t? PJ Media delivers the truth and holds the powerful accountable. Become a VIP member today—your support fuels our mission and unlocks exclusive content, podcasts, an ad-free experience, and more.
Use code FIGHT for 60% off. It’s a great time to become a part of our movement. Join now and stand for America-first journalism!
